A note about last night
As you can see from my pix below, I had the pleasure of dining at the counter at John Dory last night. John Dory is the seafood spin-off from the gastro-pub peeps behind The Spotted Pig (think incredible gorgonzola burger and life-affirming gnudi - NO JOKE THE ricotta gnudi is f%cking that good at the Pig).
Anyway, before I rip off on another topic, let me give props where props are due. Chef April Bloomfield really takes fresh seafood to another level in her endeavor at John Dory. I thought I’d tasted the freshest oysters NYC had to offer (Blue Ribbon, Aquagrill, Schaeffer’s City Oyster Bar, Grand Central Oyster Bar, etc.)
But I was literally swooned away by the Beausoleils (New Brunswick), Hama Hama (West Coast) and Wellfleet oysters out of Long Island Sound. In fact, swooned may not be strong enough of an adjective to tell you how I really felt. Smitten? Is that better? Enamored? Infatuated? You get the point. I could taste the freshness of the sea with every dose. And they do something pretty clever at JD too with their oysters. Instead of just serving them with straight up cocktail sauce (ketchup + horseradish), they offer fresh shaved horseradish root, their own cocktail sauce blend (on demand) and a citrusy, vinegary ceviche condiment that really propells the oysters to another level.
Sticking to the oyster theme, I can’t say enough about the pan roasted oyster app with sea urchin butter.
The oysters are in a sweetened, creamy broth that makes you forget where you are. It’s hallucinogenic I tell you. I forgot I was in NYC and thought I was dining off a pier in Newport, RI. This app won me over from the first spoonful. It’s a must have when dining here.
The rest of the dinner included a steelhead trout entree and a grilled octopus entree. The trout was very good. The skin was perfectly crispy and salty. But I don’t know why I was expecting it to be more of a buttery fish. When I was served the dish, I swore I thought they had given me a salmon but steelhead trout it was. Am I the only one who doesn’t know that steelhead resembles salmon? Well I guess I do now.
Moving on to the octopus, again I’m at a loss for words.
Grilled, tender octopus legs are paired with a soft, mushy lima bean concoction. One word - delectable. Although, I didn’t order this dish (I ordered the trout), I stared with envy and was rewarded delightfully once my dining partner hit her dining limit. My appetite is not easy to quell.
Reflecting on my experience at JD last night, I truthfully feel that this is now my favorite American seafood restaurant in New York City. And to think, all I wanted last night was some crawfish from Great Jones.
PS. Yes this is a long post but I must add the following. After dinner, we walked thru the meat packing district to eventually grab a drink at the new 675 Bar where Level V used to be underneath Vento. Now, I’m loathe, if not plain reluctant to recommend any place west of 8th Avenue much less two of them in a single post but facts are facts.
675 Bar has the right formula in their new establishment. It’s a cavernous, spacious downstairs cellar of a bar. There’s cute bar snacks like grilled kielbasa. The drinks? The drinks are to die for. I had an R&R (rye with rye beer over ice). It was tasty, appetizing and after three of them, I felt as if I was at home. The bar itself is scattered with games like billiards, foosball and yes Galaga, Pacman and Mrs. Pacman. Yours truly even put up a new high score in Galaga and Mrs. Pacman (credited to AGG on the game).
The foosball table is hidden away in a private alcove away from the bar. You want privacy - this place has it. I don’t know how this place is on a weekend. I’m afraid to find out for myself. But for a weeknight cocktail, this is my new go to spot.
