British food: bloody good in New York!

The John Dory

The pitch: The folks who brought you The Spotted Pig have moved on to seafood, served up in a kitschy, Technicolor fish shack complete with a giant aquarium.

The pedigree: April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman strike again, with chef Sara Ochs (formerly of Esca) running the kitchen.

Signature dish: Whole John Dory for two with salsa verde ($50).

But how British is it, bloke? So-so. While there are some solidly English dessert options (treacle pudding, minced Eccles cakes with Stichelton cheese), for the most part Bloomfield has meandered from shore to shore in search of inspiration.

The verdict: It’s only a few months old but critics have already warmed up to the place: The Daily News' Danyelle Freeman notes that "the superiority of the fish here is surprising." The hoi polloi, on the other hand, continue to scramble to snag one of the restaurant’s hard-to-get tables. Mercifully, The John Dory takes reservations.

The John Dory
85 10th Ave. between 15th and 16th Sts.
212-929-4948