Mercat was one of the first to pounce on NoHo’s recent transformation to another one of Manhattan’s “it” neighborhoods. It’s an intriguing situation for reasons including their prime real estate, bustling bar scene, and festive atmosphere. Their selection of exclusively Spanish wines is just as attractive as the pretty people drinking them. Shocker special – the food is good too. With so much focus on the space, you might assume the food would get overlooked. Thankfully, that’s not the case. These relatively pricey “small” plates are worth every penny. Their tapas are nicely sized, so be careful not to over-order. We prefer Mercat for drinks and small plates (either at the bar or in the downstairs tapas lounge) as opposed to a full sit down dinner.
Youthful, Catalan-born owner Jamie Reixach killed it with the decor. The twenty grand he dropped on old Spanish newspapers to line the walls was a damn good spend. There’s a nice contrast between the exposed brick and white subway tiles. The open kitchen, high ceilings, well laid out tables and spacious bar all contribute to a nicely flowing restaurant. Mercat’s balance between SoHo chic and Meatpacking euro make for some seriously entertaining people watching. You won’t catch the Infatuation hanging out here on a regular basis, but every once in a while it’s fun to kick back, drink in hand, and watch the ridiculous action unfold around you.
Food Rundown:
Gambes
Three big, brutish looking shrimp with their heads on make this a cool looking dish. Tear the head off and take a juicy, garlicy bite. And if you’re feeling a little crazy go ahead and suck some of the juice out of the decapitated shrimp-head. The dish is really simple, but well executed. Only gripe is that for fourteen dollars, I wouldn’t mind seeing another shrimper on the plate.
Fideua Negra amb Allioli
Noodles in black squid ink with cuttlefish may be a little intimidating for some people. However, this dish is a must at Mercat. The al dente angel hair pasta is topped with a garlic aoli giving the dish a luscious, creamy texture that makes it tough to put your fork down. Just make sure to wipe the ink off your face after you shovel in the goodness.
Bombas
A unique twist on meatballs, these dudes are hard and crispy on the outside, while moist and meaty on the inside. It’s a mixture of chicken, pork, and beef. Supposedly the chef uses some crazy non-stick oil so that the meat on the inside doesn’t stick to the crispy shell (our waiter was very excited about this). It reminds me of a caramel filled chocolate in the way the caramel sits inside the chocolate shell. These are definitely worth getting.
Vedella
For fifteen dollars, this is a really nice portion of grilled hanger steak. It’s served medium rare and sliced on a plate with a couple of whole cipollini onions and crispy sweet potatoes. The steak was extremely tender, and on a fork with some cooked onions and potato, this is a real tasty bite.
Patates Bravas
You can’t really mess with small, crispy potato chunks that are served with garlic and spicy sauce. A welcome addition to any Infatuation sit down.
Pa amb Tomaquet
A small helping of toasted bread with tomato and garlic. Nothing out of this world, but for four bucks, this Spanish-style bruschetta is definitely worth getting.
