It’s with this in mind that we write about the shockingly good food we enjoyed over a recent lunch at Dirty French in the Lower East Side’s Ludlow Hotel.
With knowledge and unremitting drive, chefs Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone along with Chef de Cuisine Dai Matsuda have created food that’s stylish, tasty and fun at the same time – all in a beautiful, sunlit, museum-like space that feels as casual as a living room.
Starters
The millefeuille is masterfully made with trumpet mushrooms instead of pastry. | Image: ©2foodtrippers
We started with the mushroom millefeuille – a dish dancing with culinary possibility. After cutting into the multiple microscopic layers of light, crispy shaved mushroom, we dipped the millefeuille into the bright, spicy green-pea colored curry made crunchy with bits of fresh celery.
The juxtaposition of the refined, delicate mushroom pastry and the bold, spicy sauce was magical.
The deceptively simple tuna tartare is boldly flavored and served with a crêpe Indochine. | Image: ©2foodtrippers
Our other starter paled in comparison, but only visually. The simply plated canelle-shaped tuna tartare arrived at the table with a large crispy crêpe and a melange of herbs.
As we devoured the succulent chunks of molded sushi-grade tuna, the flavor of the subtle Thai chili started to kick in with a slow-building heat that warmed our taste buds. It wasn’t long before we abandoned our silverware and scarfed down every bit of tartare with the crêpe.