Despite starting in Kensington, Dirty Bones feels like a fundamentally ‘Shoreditch’ place: take big, greasy food, give it a quality twist and serve it in a modern restaurant. And while I love Soho for its spirit, a lot of the area feels specifically designed to ensnare tourists and your sibling’s 18th birthday party, so I was curious how they would maintain their cool reputation in the heart of London. Whatever the vibe, taking one look at their menu made my belly grow, so I braved the Northern Line at rush hour to get me some tasty comfort food.
Venue and Atmosphere
I arrived on one of the hottest days of the year, pushing myself through hordes of after-work drinkers with the insufferablility of a Southerner having to walk more than two foot in the heat, and prayed that they’d have some decent air-con. Instead, they threw their front windows wide open, creating a much more relaxed, breathable space and transforming the whole venue into a cool summer hangout. Inside I was greeted by rows of simple tables and chairs taking up the majority of the restaurant, a black velvet curtain hiding the left wall and long black sofas attached to the wall on the right. We tucked ourselves into the corner sofa seat, with an industrial light hanging over to provide some atmospheric lighting once the sun finally set.
The crowd was a real mix: post-work business people occupied some of the area, a group of tourists here and there, and then a few groups of twenty-something friends occupying the middle. The after-work hours on the Wednesday we arrived was busy, but it thins out a little bit as the night progresses.
It exudes the kind of cool you only find in London, to the point where I worried my hair would give away how distinctly uncool I am.
Food and Drink
Comfort food may not seem like the best option when the sun has set London on fire, but the friendly waiter saw my plight and quickly recommended a cocktail to cool me down. As a bourbon fan, the Mutt’s Nuts (£9.50) was exactly what I wanted, made from cinnamon & vinalla-infused maple syrup, bitters, lemon and apple. It was incredibly refreshing and set the quality for the cocktails throughout the night: all of them are presented beautifully.
Sufficiently cooled, we jumped into our starters. My friend picked the Cheeseburger Dumplings (£8.50), which kind of sounds like something a middle class toddler would invent but, let me tell you, these are great. Honestly, they retained the familiar taste of a cheeseburger while using the texture of the dumplings to create something unique. I was indecisive about what sides to have for main, so chose the Crispy Lamb Fries (£6.50) as a starter, served with sweet miso, red chilli and jalapeno. This is amazing comfort food, and the ideal thing to wolf down on a hangover. The lamb was tasty too as my friend who “hates lamb” (read: hasn't tried it since they were a kid and has decided such, but still) loved it. In fact she ate most of my plate.
All the drinks are Instagrammable, it just so happens they are incredibly tasty (and surprisingly refreshing) to boot.
Before we tucked into our mains, we ordered two more cocktails: my friend selected the Top Dog (£9.50), made from vodka, strawberry, Chambord, lemon and prosecco, whereas I, having just been beaten away from my own food, chose the Deputy Dog (£9.50), made from tequila, lime, blood orange liquer, mint and Ting. I loved my cute little number, again very refreshing, but the Top Dog wins out on flavour here.
You'd think with the generous portions of our starter/side earlier, we'd be too full for mains. We were not. My friend opted for their famed The Burger (£9.50), a steak burger with black treacle bacon, gorgonzola sauce, pickled jalapenos, baby spinach and chipotle aiola. The burger itself is quite big, and its size compliments the taste perfectly thanks to a succulent steak and a plethora of great flavours from the toppings. I decided on the mouth-watering Slow n’ Low Ribs (£13), marinated in Dr Pepper and burnt onion & ale BBQ sauce. This basically fell off the bone it was so tender and the BBQ sauce was a tangy delight. By the end, I was basically picking the last trace of meat off the bones.
For sides, we chose the Mac & Cheese (£6.50) and the Cheesy Truffle Fries (£5.50), perhaps the ultimate in comfort food, and the big flavours were enough for us to ignore the minor cardiac arrest after devouring them.
If I wasn't so full that I needed to be rolled to Piccadilly Circus station I would've ordered another round of these ribs.
Summary
Normally I’d say a menu like Dirty Bones Soho’s would be ‘perfect for a hangover’, but it’s actually tastier than that. They’ve taken the greasy spoon and made it just that much better, making it an ideal place to eat the food everyone loves in style, cute Instagram-ready cocktail in hand. Though if you do find yourself hungover, it’s probably best to get over there anyway. The ribs will do a world of good.
