EaterWire Midday Edition: Porção Unseized, 133 Essex Still Dark and So Much More

PARK AVE SOUTH—Porção, the Park Ave South churrascaria that would be on the Deathwatch were it not for its deep pockets back in Brazil, which was last Friday seized for non-payment of taxes has reopened. Particularly those who have find themselves presented with a two hour wait across the street at Primehouse will find this intel of use. [EaterWire]

BARCELONA—The inbox brings us a dispatch from Spain, where a reader had a close encounter with the Batali kind: "So I'm a former NYer living in Barcelona, Spain for the last few years. On Thursday, Oct 25 I was at the fabulous Boqueria food market doing my usual grocery shopping when who do I see...Mario Batali! Also in tow were Michael Stipe of REM and a famous Spanish actress. Of course he's in town filming his PBS special with Gwenith Paltrow, etc. They were surrounded by four cameras and Mario was talking in Spanish with the fish mongers about their catch. He was very accessable and nice. Being a huge Mario fan it was great to see him enjoying the market. I was able to chat with him about the Barcelona food scene- he was clearly inspired!" Nice form, Molto Mario. Nice form, indeed. [EaterWire Inbox]

LOWER EAST SIDE—MechanicalBullWatch: James Killing, or Evan Ford or whatever it will be named, at 133 Essex Street spends another day in Post-Plywood; its doors are still locked, its owners, Rob and Will Shamlian, of Fat Baby, Spitzer's and Dark Room, standing by to further increase the blood-alcohol level of the Lower East Side. A report from last night: "Closed, lights totally out, at 8pm last night." And so the mechanical bull waits, grazing in Hell Square. [EaterWire]

LOCATION UNCONFIRMED—Cutlets decked himself out and went to the $100,000-a-table "Autism Speaks to Wall Street" gala at Capitale on Monday and came back with some fresh menu intel on Restaurant Liebrandt: "[Liebrandt's] menu, carrying his new restaurant's presumptive title, Restaurant Liebrandt, included a ballotine of foie gras with chicken and Hon shimeji (delicate but intense); slow-poached hamachi flavored with Bombay curry and leek (also awesome); and a beef duo featuring steak in a partially melted cassis gel." As for the location of this venue, stay tuned for a serious update this afternoon, friends. [Cutlets]