Ludlow House, the Lower East Side location of the international social club Soho House, has a new restaurant concept in its iconic garden. Brasserie Boheme is the Stateside incarnation of Cafe Boheme, a classic French late-night spot in the Soho neighborhood of London. After its recent opening, I visited the new Ludlow Street restaurant and was treated to un petit voyage to the Left Bank.
The restaurant is available to Ludlow House members and guests, and though it takes reservations, walk-ins are welcome and generally accommodated. Diners must check in with the club staff at the front desk and make their way past the dimly lit house bar and seating area, where you’ll find young entrepreneurs clacking away at computers at any time of day and night, as well as edgy-looking creatives mingling over craft cocktails.
Compared to the rest of the space, the indoor garden that houses Brasserie Boheme is downright glowing with natural light. The restaurant is in an interior courtyard with a beautiful paneled glass ceiling and exposed brick walls. Wooden beams support hanging plants, and a branchy tree stretches from the center of the room. The cushioned pink booths get privacy from hydrangeas and ficus trees strategically placed around the room. The space has the fresh, vegetal air and look of a greenhouse with a touch of Parisian flair.
The full-day menu is succinct and somewhat predictable. You have your fromage and charcuterie options and East Coast oysters to start. Entrees include the standard cast of French onion soup and steak tartar, followed by a tuna nicoise salad. Your main courses also stick to the party line with classics like duck confit, roasted chicken, and steak frites.
We started with oysters, which were fresh and briny, but nothing to write home about. We weren’t told where they came from, but the pink peppercorn mignonette was a nice accompaniment. Alongside, we sipped a spirit-forward white negroni and a refreshing spritz that was just the right balance of sweet and bitter.
The steamed leeks, an entree, were a sleeper hit. The dish was artfully arranged with the leeks standing like a tower in the center of the plate surrounded by a highly textured sauce gribiche. The steak tartar was an ample portion cut diced thicker than usual, which was the perfect texture, in my opinion. The accouterments were kept to the side, presumably to be mixed in, but we ended up seasoning each bite with a knife tipful of mustard, capers, red onions, chives, or relish–this made the dish a little difficult to eat, but still very tasty.
We also enjoyed the moist and tender black seabass served with crispy silver skin. The accompanying ratatouille wasn’t overcooked. The flavors were cohesive and the veggies retained some of their shape, which is always a win in my book (ratatouille is so often mushy).
The restaurant is in a member’s club, so the staff are friendly and personal. They recognize many of the guests and make an effort to make you feel at home. If you’re a Ludlow House member or know one, I recommend lunch or dinner at Brasserie Boheme for a secluded taste of Paris in the middle of downtown Manhattan.
Top Takeaways:
Location: Ludlow House, Lower East Side, Manhattan
Address: 139 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002
Cuisine: French
The vibe: A sophisticated French brasserie decorated with hanging vines and plenty of natural light from the glass ceiling inside a dark and swanky social club populated by trend-setting creatives.
Pricing: $$
Takes reservations? Offered through Soho house app, walk-ins welcome
Our favorite dish on the menu: The steamed leeks, an entree, were a sleeper hit.
The attire: Smart casual
Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner: Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, weekend brunch
Where to Go Nearby if You Can’t Get a Reservation: Kolkata Chai Co. for the most flavorful masala chai and toasty cardamom coffee for java drinkers, plus tasty Indian snacks. Little Canal for excellent breakfast sandwiches. 99 Flavor Taste for a lively hot pot experience. Bar Belly for craft cocktails and oysters. Milk Bar on Mott Street for a post-dinner treat. Essex Market for specialty groceries. Pilgrim New York for luxury vintage finds.
