Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- The John Dory, a new seafood restaurant in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district, serves “cod milt.” That’s the menu’s dodgy way of saying fish sperm. Just so you know.

Leave it to April Bloomfield to bring us aquatic offal. She, along with Ken Friedman, already gave us The Spotted Pig, New York’s Michelin-starred gastropub. That’s where British-born Bloomfield refuses to put anything but stinky Roquefort on her burgers. That’s where diners swear by the gamy calf’s liver. That’s where the policy is walk-ins only.

Now we have the John Dory. And a reservations’ line. And the sperm. “What can you tell us about the cod milt?” I asked our waitress. A moment of awkwardness ensued.

They are the “sweetbreads of the sea,” she replied. She was right. The milt are a dead ringer for soft, spongy sweetbreads. Just a tad creamier, with a hint of brine. They’re fried in brown butter for a crunch.

Milt is a Japanese delicacy but Bloomfield is one of the first to push it in such a setting. That’s partly what makes this joint an indispensable sign of the culinary times.

The John Dory adheres to the Momofuku style of dining: It’s open late (till 2 a.m.) and serves messy, quirky gourmet fare that’s often excellent, but in a laid-back environment that’s occasionally downright annoying.

Not So Fast

And therein lies a problem. There’s a fine line between casual and careless. The John Dory can veer toward the latter. A manager and a cook argued with each other in plain view of diners. My appetizer once appeared at the same time as my entree. Bring a coat if you sit near the windows or you will freeze. Backless bar stools cause aches.

And it is likely you’ll end up at one of the 15 stools, because prime-time tables book up well in advance -- there are only 36 seats in the dining room.

Embalmed inside the translucent bar top are hundreds of tiny fish. It’s a good tease for the sardines -- smoky and tender, with a mint reduction to counter the heady perfume of the fish.

Fish are everywhere. Fish posters, fish plates, fish ceilings, fish floor tiles, shellfish mirrors, and a giant fish tank that glows neon purple.

Cheaper

It evokes a Floridian seafood shack circa 1985. But Friedman is also a man of the times. He says the recession prompted him to drop prices soon after opening. Oysters (not too cold, with good cocktail sauce) went from $4 to $3. Black pepper Dungeness crab (pungent, spicy, addictive) went from $40 to $35. Fish stew (undercooked, foul-tasting) went from $34 to $30.

The namesake John Dory for two is a steal at $50. The restaurant fillets it for you. The stark white flesh, firmer than cod but more delicate than halibut, sports a swath of tangy salsa verde. Can the kitchen help with my nutty, tasty, bony mullet? No, that’s a “self-fillet” dish, I was told. Easier said than done. I swallowed half the skeleton.

Eat shellfish. Razor clam ceviche is silky and spicy. Nantucket bay scallops are drizzled with olive oil and sea salt; they’re the marshmallows of the sea. Seared squid, stuffed with smoky chorizo and soft white beans, should be consumed every day. Half a cold lobster is just $15; the delicate crustacean is brightened with a lemon-tomalley sauce. That’s right; Bloomfield uses the lobster’s green liver. Awesome.

Not a Steakhouse

The rule of thumb is this: Don’t order steak in a seafood venue. Bloomfield doesn’t do much to negate that maxim. Steak tartare ($19) tastes like a salt lick when you add the shockingly saline anchovy toasts. Skirt steak ($30, no char, underseasoned) drowns in a bland, red wine sauce.

Finish with the treacle pudding, a dense, sticky sponge cake that’s listed as “for two.” It can feed four.

Rating: **

The Bloomberg Questions

Cost? About $100 to fill your tummy; less for a snack.

Sound level? Moderate.

Date place? My date got tipsy on the strong drinks, so, yes.

Inside tip? Try a bottle of sparkling rose for just $52.

Special feature? Seven out of nine kitchen members were women per my count. That’s a great sign amid our city’s male- dominated culinary scene.

Private room? No.

Will I be back? Frequently.

The John Dory is at 85 10th Ave. between 15th and 16th streets. Information +1-212-929-4948; http://www.thejohndory.com.

What the Stars Mean:
****         Incomparable food, service, ambience.
***          First-class of its kind.
**           Good, reliable.
*            Fair
No stars     Poor.

(Ryan Sutton writes about New York City restaurants for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

For Related News: Top arts and lifestyle stories: MUSE <GO> More articles by Ryan Sutton: NI SUTTON <GO> Dining and wine reviews: TNI GOURMET MUSE <GO> New York dining reviews: TNI NY DINE <GO>

Last Updated: January 6, 2009 00:01 EST