MIDTOWN WEST—Though we have word that Mexican restaurant El Centro, briefly shuttered, is now open, we still don't know why it was temporarily closed in the first place. Could Con Edison be to blame? Writes a tipster, "Don't know if this tells the full story--but the building next to El Centro had a major gas leak. There are actually a couple on the block (54th). They plastered an orange notice on the building. A Con Ed Emergency van has been outside for the past couple of days. Could help explain the closure, or not. Our offices are a couple of doors down-so lets just say we are all keeping an eye on things as well." [EaterWire Inbox]
TRIBECA—You might have heard that Neiporent's haute Vietnamese restaurant Mai House will be debuting a late night menu of 28 dishes priced at $10 each (dubbed 10 after 10, of course). An insidery blowout is planned for Monday evening. With all this talk of it, we though you might want to see the menu. [EaterWire]
NOHO— New Bond Street Spanish tapas spot Mercat has been open only days, but critiques of the place are already rolling in. Gawker's "After Hours" writer, Josh Stein, suggests that the space would be better utilized as a topless bar named Meerkat. How charmingly heterosexual of you, Mr. Stein. [Gawker]
