Occupying the ground floor of the Ludlow Hotel, Dirty French is dark, sexy, loud, and flamboyant. Set up like a classic French brasserie but with an added injection of fun, there’s dark wood panels, red leather banquettes, brass rails, and big chandeliers – it’s the perfect place to come for dinner with a bigger group, to eat well, and get drunk.
The mushroom millefeuille is a stroke of genius – thin layers of mushroom packed together and served with pea shoots and green curry – and is a must-order in our book. The tuna tartare is the other winner from the starters, but it’s the flatbread that gets delivered to every table that is one of the real standouts and keeps us coming back for more every time. For mains, the black bass with madras curry, and the scallops with celery root and pickled lemon are both winners, and we also love the juicy pork chop with a spicy outer crust from the rotisserie section. For dessert, it’s essential to order the warm beignets – light and fluffy and fresh out the oven, these are some of the best we’ve ever had.