The John Dory no longer. (Photo: Roxana Marroquin)

You have all heard by now that the April Bloomfield–Ken Friedman seafood restaurant, The John Dory, had its final day of business last Saturday. Talk of moving to a different location batted around on the blogs is echoed is Ken Friedman’s latest statement—see it in its entirety after the jump. Read more »

Fish and chips at the John Dory

The John Dory’s “assertively flavored and impeccably sourced” seafood wins five out of six stars from Jay Cheshes, who calls it “the best new restaurant I’ve visited so far this year.” [TONY]

TONY gives the Piedmont-loving Sorella, “a small, sleek eatery with spunky renditions of traditional dishes,” four out of six stars. [TONY]

TONY also awards four out of six stars to the bar at Jack the Horse, giving the glory to Maxwell Britten, the head bartender, who’s “a horse worth betting on.” [TONY]

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Agnolotti al sugo di arrosto at Sorella (Photo: Jeff Gurwin)

This week in Time Out New York, Jay Cheshes reviews the John Dory, giving five out of six stars, and writing, “with its exceptional seafood and service—[it] is the best new restaurant I’ve visited so far this year.” TONY also stops by Sorella (four stars) on the LES, a restaurant that specializes in the refined cooking of Piedmont, Italy. We also head to Jack the Horse tavern (four stars) in Brooklyn, where head bartender Maxwell Britten has been quietly turning out excellent cocktails. Read more »

This Saturday, the John Dory enters the brunch fray. In addition to some raw bar offerings and hot dishes that might already be familiar to regular diners (shrimp and grits, fish and chips, smoked smelts), there are some new and, can we add, gently priced morning dishes. Those that caught our eye: $8 soft-boiled eggs with anchovy oysters; apple, bacon and Guinness fritters, fried eggs with bottarga and potatoes. Service: 11am–4pm Saturday and Sunday. Reservations: Check. See the full menu after the jump. Read more »

This just in: Starting today and ending on April 1st, the steal to be had at the Enoteca at Del Posto—usually a reasonable $52 for five courses—is reduced to an eminently affordable $35 for four on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. If you can’t get a table at the John Dory after their Times review, remember their Italian neighbor.

Another way to paint your love red. (Photo courtesy of Eat Me Daily)

If you live in West Chelsea and a yellow eel shows up in your toilet, well, call the John Dory. [Diner's Journal]

Anecdotal evidence of the recession (as if you need it): Two-buck Chuck is currently sold-out at the Union Square Trader Joe’s. [WNYC]

After much ado, Butcher Bay is finally open. Go ahead, have an oyster. [Eater]

In the same vein as Bond Street Chocolate’s molded skulls, nothing says I love you like a painted knife. [Eat Me Daily]

Watch it, Pearl. There's a new shucker in town.

The inaugural lunch service at The John Dory has yet to kick off (it’ll happen two and a half hours from now, to be precise), and the folks on the Eater message board are already griping about the oysters—again. You might recall the first round of oystergate, some rumblings about $4 costing way too much for a single bivalve. Well, the price has gone down a dollar, and still, it seems the people can’t be appeased. “Ha! that came from the office of redundancy office,” wrote one wise guy, who couldn’t help but notice that the mollusks were listed at $3 apiece, or $18 for six. Here’s something for penny-pinchers to consider: the $12 Welsh rarebit appetizer, one bargain offering on this mouthwatering menu. See the entire menu (served noon to 3pm, Tuesday through Saturday) after the jump. Read more »