The Major Food Group, the creators of New York City’s most popular restaurants Carbone, Parm, Torrisi, and ZZ’s Clam Bar, has struck again! Introducing Dirty French. Located in the Ludlow Hotel, Dirty French brings French class and sophistication to New York’s Lower East Side. The buzz around DF has been nonstop all summer and the restaurant has certainly been the most anticipated opening of Fall 2014. I was lucky enough to go for dinner last week (in its opening week) and after my experience I am happy to announce that Dirty French is WELL deserving of all of its hype!…
French restaurants are typically known for their delicious breads and pastries, and upon first glance of the menu I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to indulge in many of the popular dishes. Thankfully, my waitress was fully aware of gluten allergies and the components of each dish, and she was happy to point out what I could and couldn’t have. Yes, crepes and pita are components of several dishes, but more often than not you can ask for your dish nocrepe or nopita. For instance, the tuna tartare is gluten free if you ask for it nocrepe and the lamp carpaccio is gluten free if you remove the side of pita. These two dishes are staple orders at Dirty French, and I highly recommend both! The terrine and gnocchi are two other popular appetizers, but unfortunately these two can NOT be prepared gluten free. For entrees, I HIGHLY recommend the black bass with razor clams and pistou sauce. This dish was incredibly flavorful and might have been my table’s favorite dish of the night. The bouillabaisse is also gluten free if you order it with nocrouton, and I’ve heard it’s awesome, too. Lastly, my table ordered the chicken and crepes. Unfortunately, the chicken is NOT gluten free as soy sauce is used to marinate the chicken, and the crepes contain gluten, too. The gluten free cote de boeuf is HUGE, so if you order this, I hope you’re hungry. Dirty French also serves an extensive list of side orders; my table ordered the cauliflower, which was perfectly roasted, the Japanese squash (unbelievable) and the pommes frites. The frites looked amazing and were sliced thin like large potato chips, but unfortunately they are subject to cross contamination so I recommend avoiding.
Overall, I LOVED my experience at Dirty French. Not only was service attentive and knowledgable, but they let my party sit at our table for hours… and it was their opening week! The cocktails are unique, each dish was perfectly presented and delicious, and the scene at the lounge next door has me wanting to come back again soon. Oh and if you’re missing a fork at any point during your meal, your waiter/waitress hasn’t forgotten your utensil; customers are encouraged to get involved with the food and eat some dishes with their hands, further adding to this unique dining experience!