Breaking: Ibérico, the Mercedes of Hams, Hits U.S. ShoresForget the Led Zeppelin reunion — the real news today is the arrival of ibérico ham on our shores. Angelica Intriago, VP at Despaña, the tri-state’s only supplier, says that on Friday she got a mere twenty of the 300 “pata negra” (black foot) hams shipped to the United States after Spanish purveyor Fermin finally satisfied FDA export standards. Her supply has already dwindled to to the point where she is now only selling it by the slice at $99 per pound if sliced by hand and $90 per pound if sliced by machine, which warms the meat up undesirably (it’s best if eaten at room temperature). For that you can thank restaurants like Mercat, which is selling it at cost at $14 per plate — a price which will double after a weeklong introductory phase.
Neighborhood Watch
Matilda the Cat Hosting a Cocktail Party in Midtown WestAstoria: Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden will screen the Czech film Holiday Makers at 8 p.m. on Sunday. [Joey in Astoria]
East Village: Mercat has a downstairs lounge, which they may or may not be calling by a different name, with an even smaller menu. [Eater] Simone is definitely open. [Down by the Hipster]
Lower East Side: Russ & Daughters has taken down its neon sign, but only for temporary refurbishing. [Eat for Victory/VV]
Midtown West: A birthday party held on August 8 at the Algonquin honoring Matilda, the hotel’s house cat, will feature a cat fashion show, live music, and lots and lots of cocktails. [NewYorkology]
West Village: The little owl’s celebrated meatball sliders made it onto the cover of Bon Appetit. [Gothamist]
The Other Critics
Mercat Is Loud, Rayuela Is Packed, and Chicken Competition Is Fierce in FlushingFrank Bruni thinks Mercat’s tapas are good, as long as you steer clear of the seafood and don’t mind salt, but he’s a sourpuss when it comes to the atmosphere. “Some wonderful food, some clangorous acoustics: these are the defining traits.” Something to do with the glass of wine that was spilled on his vestments? [NYT]
Bruni may have been better off dining at Mercat’s bar, where Randall Lane dug the “lively scene.” He also liked what he ate — not exactly the case at Seamus Mullen’s relaunch of Suba. [TONY]
Ryan Sutton stalks chef Riccardo Buitoni at his new Soho spot Aurora and after spying him sipping wine declares him a “master of chill” — and apparently a fan of truffles. Meanwhile he finds Rayuela packed during an early visit and predicts it could be a “serious cocktail destination” with some tweaks. [Bloomberg]
Related: Rayuela Mixologist Junior Merino to Uncork His Latino Cocktail Program on Friday
The Other Critics
Landmarc Steals More Stars; Mercat Earns First KudosFrank Bruni inexplicably grants a star to a restaurant with zero ambience, overdone pastas, “tame entrées,” and a “loud” room that’s “dreary at night.” Which is what Adam Platt and everybody else said about Landmarc TWC, though without granting a star for the accomplishment. [NYT]
Related: Off the Mark [NYM]
Landmarc somehow coaxed three of six stars out of Randall Lane, despite comparable comments on uneven food and a room filled with rebars. The wine list seems to have been the saving grace. [TONY]
Mobbed Mercat gets the Paul Adams seal of approval, its first major positive review, which compares it favorably to Boqueria and praises it for special authenticity. Only the desserts are denied praise, and at that point in the review, it hardly matters. [NYS]
The Other Critics
Cuozzo Hammers the Shake Shack; Much Hodgson Love for InsiemeSteve Cuozzo uses his bully pulpit in the Post to come down hard on the Shake Shack, calling the place out for insanely long lines and “a hamburger that’s an also-ran at best.”
[NYP]
Related: Kyle Dureau Wants Shake Shack to Be Open 24/7 As Much As You Do [Grub Street]
Having weathered a major two-star review by Adam Platt, Insieme finally gets its first three-star one, from Moira Hodgson, who is impressed by how perfectly executed every dish is, lavishing special praise on one of the place’s more overlooked features, co-owner Paul Grieco’s wine list. [NYO]
Related: Italian, Old and New [NYM]
The Times gives Katz’s the full Frank Bruni treatment, and the place comes out of it with one star, much loving description, and an eerie semi-confirmation of our earlier report that the place might be sold. [NYT]
Related: Mother of Mercy! Is This the End of Katz’s? [Grub Street]
Mediavore
Taking Food Snobbery to the Next Level; Paula Deen and the Pork Giant“Localvores” are highly virtuous and a big pain in the ass. [NYDN]
Paula Deen finds herself on the wrong side of a Smithfield Foods labor dispute, and striking workers are calling for her to sever ties with the pork giant. [NYT]
It’s not just red wine with fish anymore: Celebrity chefs are leading the way toward more imaginative wine and beer pairings, from Joe Bastianich’s pouring Dom Pérignon rosé with roast pheasant to Laurent Tourondel’s quaffing beer with his steak. [Forbes]
Back of the House
Mercat to Finally Open TomorrowRestaurant Girl is reporting that Mercat, the long-delayed Catalan tapas bar, is finally set to make its initial public offering. Gas-related issues kept pushing back a final inspection, but the restaurant is currently taking reservations for its opening at 6 p.m. tomorrow.
Mercat: Open for Business [RG]
In the Magazine
The Robs Heart Kefi; Gael Greene Hits the Hawaiian Tropic ZoneIt’s an odd food section this week: Gael Greene goes to a restaurant most critics wouldn’t go near; four restaurants open all at once, and not one of them in a familiar genre; a chef describes a dangerous encounter with Adam Platt’s ravenous actor brother; and in the review, Rob and Robin bestow a rare four-star review on the Upper West Side’s Kefi.
Back of the House
The Travails of the Produce Biz; A Rebuke to Our Rachael Ray DefenseAn inside look at what restaurants’ produce suppliers go through and the razor’s edge their business turns on. [NYT]
Nina Lalli believes that we were wrong to defend Rachael Ray, who, she says, just throws fatty food at the masses, with no care for their well-being. [VV]
Joël Robuchon has confirmed that he’s going to open a restaurant in Chicago; now it looks like Alain Ducasse will be doing the same. If, as some speculate, Ducasse never reopens here, we may actually end up behind Chicago in something. [Chicago Sun-Times]
