This immense and pretty brasserie opened its doors in spring 2015 on the Avenue Trudaine, just a few blocks over from the Brasserie Barbès. Industrial chic in design, with a massive, open interior and two terraces, it could be Barbès's stylish sister. Indeed, furnished with blond wood tables, scrap metal panelling and an array of arty light fixtures – including a grid of exposed bulbs, hanging lamps and even a lighted marquee – Le Dunkerque is almost too trendy. But décor aside, the drink menu is exceedingly well rounded: with a carefully curated selection of rums, fresh cocktails and artisanal beers (bearing the stamp of Brasserie de la Goutte d’Or), everything listed is worth ordering. The restaurant also offers a short menu of mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres, including truffle-honey scallop carpaccio, a kale and cabbage salad and an aubergine and goats cheese millefeuille.
Dinner is a slightly different story: at €6.50, the pumpkin soup was the perfect starter, rich and unctuous, served with croutons, bacon bits and Bleu d’Auvergne cheese, but the citrus-infused crab and avocado tartar (€12) paled in comparison. The same was true for the mains: the Chinese cabbage salad (€14.50) with grilled chicken and avocado really delivered, while the fish and chips (€17) proved a bland disappointment. And for dessert, once again: although the caramelised berry millefeuille was overcooked, the chocolate tart was a real treat (save for the pistachio sauce, which tasted chemical.)
In sum, the food here is pretty hit-or-miss and the service slow and impersonal, so we’d recommend coming for drinks and a snack rather than dinner.