The restaurant will open its doors in the Finnieston strip and invite diners to place their full trust in the chef’s vision
15:29, 01 Jul 2025Updated 15:42, 01 Jul 2025
TRUST by Modou opens at 1132 Argyle Street on the vibrant Finnieston Strip on Wednesday, July 2, 2025(Image: Daily Record)
We are all sometimes guilty of looking up a restaurant’s menu ahead of time – sifting through the different pages online and planning what we’re going to order. But imagine booking a restaurant without ever seeing the menu?
Well, this is your invitation to throw caution to the wind, embrace spontaneity and Trust by Modou – a brand new, no-menu dining concept from the critically-acclaimed Glasgow chef behind 111 by Modou.
The five-course experience urges diners to come with an open mind, an empty stomach, and let go of expectations as they are treated to a dynamic, ever-changing tasting experience shaped entirely by Modou and his team.
Located at 1132 Argyle Street on the vibrant Finnieston Strip, the site of the original Six By Nico, the aptly named TRUST by Modou will open tomorrow, Wednesday, July 2.
The new venture is Modou Diagne’s second restaurant and will open its doors just in time for the Glasgow summer – and it is offering a different dining experience to any other spot in the city.
The eatery has no set menu but while “celebrating seasonality, bold flavours, and the power of storytelling through food”, patrons will no doubt forget all about conventional dining as they enter the moody, intimate, mirrored space.
TRUST by Modou promises a “one-of-a-kind” dining experience where people surrender all expectations(Image: Daily Record)
Our writer, Fionnuala Boyle, had the opportunity to sample the TRUST by Modou experience ahead of its grand opening and she was extremely impressed by the set-up from start to finish.
“I’d never gone into a restaurant blindfolded before – quite literally – but the prospect of sampling new dishes and trying cuisine I wouldn’t normally order was an exciting one,” Fionnuala said.
“I’m a foodie, so I wasn’t hesitant about tucking in despite not knowing what was in front of me. Saying that, we all have our preferences, and I often find myself picking the same type of thing off the menu when eating out.
Modou Diagne
“The opportunity to experience new flavours was a real treat.”
And that’s exactly what you get. Crafted around your preferences, and accessible to all at £30 per person, no two menus at TRUST by Modou are ever the same.
In fact, Modou is planning on changing the menu every two days – perfect for repeat visits and returning fans. This is some feat – especially for kitchen and waiting staff who will almost certainly be kept on their toes.
The five-course dining experiences costs £30pp(Image: Daily Record)
Renowned chef Modou Diagne has created a new dining experience(Image: Daily Record)
You simply book your table, tell the restaurant your dietary needs, their chefs create a menu, and you get to enjoy a creative, personal experience, full of surprise, where throughout you are invited to guess what is on the plate.
Waiting staff will be on hand to tell you what’s on offer if you really want to know, of course.
Otherwise, you will be presented with a Traitors-style envelope at the end of your meal, where your five courses will be revealed to you.
You can also opt for drinks to accompany some of the courses at an added cost. These particular beverages are made to complement the meal, but again, the ingredients are sworn to secrecy.
Chef Modou will tailor menus around customers’ preferences(Image: Daily Record)
There is an extensive drinks menu with wines, spirits, beers, and soft drinks, too, for the less daring diners, as well as pre-snacks which can also be ordered at an additional fee.
TRUST by Modou is an ideal spot to catch up with friends, for a date night where the food will definitely be a conversation starter, or for foodies who want to pore over the flavours and textures in each dish.
Speaking about her experience, Fionnuala said: “TRUST not so much forces you out your comfort zone as it gently guides you out of it. There is nothing intimidating or pretentious about the experience – it really is catered to you.
“The food was delicious, ranging from seafood to meat to non-meat dishes, and it was nice to leave a restaurant feeling genuinely satisfied instead of stuffed, owing to the fact the dishes are smaller and generally light.
Chef Nico Simeone offered Modou the chance to make his mark in the industry under his own restaurant brand(Image: Daily Record)
“I like that TRUST leans into the idea of food being a bonding experience. It’s nice to speak about what you’re eating with whomever you’re with, whether that’s in depth or simply to exchange thoughts here and there. I’d recommend it and would absolutely go back.”
Senegal-born Modou arrived in Scotland aged 19 and slept rough for ten days until he found refuge in a Shelter charity church. He went on to find permanent shelter but only had £200 to his name and spoke poor English.
After a year of unsuccessful job applications, he was hired as a kitchen porter at 111 by Nico in June 2014.
Nico saw huge potential in his hard-working recruit and went on to reward Modou’s dedication in 2020 by gifting him the business. 111 by Chef Nico was rebranded to 111 by Modou and still operates in Glasgow’s Kelvindale today.
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