Chef Francis Derby walks out of King as owners prepare for a menu change.

Forks and spoons duel for the layered deliciousness of saffron’d mussels and clams.

          Francis Derby, a veteran of WD50, Paul Liebrandt’s kitchen and David Chang’s Ssam Bar walked out of King this weekend, just before my almost-rave review in BITE.  “I never got the support I needed for the kind of food I do,” Darby said.  When new front—of-the-house people came in talking about a new menu and it clearly wasn’t mind, I knew it was time to go.

          Derby has no immediate plans. He hopes to find an investor enthusiastic for pig’s head tortellini and banana-parsley-cracker emulsion with squid and parsley and Brussels sprouts with lamb bacon.

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