We are hearing that Spotted Pig co-owner Ken Friedman is planning on doing a restaurant with former Top Chef winner Ilan Hall. The rumor chorus places the new eatery down the street from the Pig on far West 11th Street and says it may be only a few months out. Friedman did not confirm any of this, but he didn’t deny it, either. “I hope all those things are true,” he responded when we repeated the details.

Friedman says his focus right now is the John Dory, a new seafood restaurant he’s opening with April Bloomfield, chef and Spotted Pig co-owner. “Even if I wanted to open something up before the John Dory,” Friedman tells us, “I’d have to do it over April and Mario [Batali]'s and Joe [Bastianich]’s dead body.” Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. In the meantime, however, Friedman did volunteer that he likes Hall a lot and would love the project to happen where and when it had been rumored. But, he cautions us, “I’d be very surprised if anything were to happen soon.” Duly noted. But we’re still excited at the news.