BruniBetting: Corton

Tomorrow, Frank Bruni reviews Corton, Paul Liebrandt's collab with front man Drew Nieporent, the most legitimate bid for four stars since Leibrandt's last prime time engagement, Gilt. Today, the Eater oddsmakers have set the action as follows:

Zero Stars: 500-1
One Star: 25-1
Two Stars: 6-1
Three Stars: EVEN ??
Four Stars: 20-1

It would be the feel-good story of the year—two decades later, Nieporent swaps three at Montrachet for four at Corton; Liebrandt vindicated, finally gets his due from the Bruni. But, it's not going to happen; Corton isn't getting the—that's right, the—El Quatro. Critics have shown lots of love, but haven't been unanimously head-over-heels. And the chorus aside, this week the most important factor to consider is the timing of the review. If His Highness The Frank were going to award four stars, thereby inducting the restaurant into the most exclusive culinary club in New York City, he'd take some more time to file—to be absolutely sure. A similar line of reasoning has us seeing two or fewer as a a long shot. He'd delay for the sake of certainty, if he was going to again destroy Paul Liebrandt (has he famously did with a deuce at Liebrandt's Gilt). Plus, of course, Momofuku Ssam Bar's upgrade to three stars, sets up a perverse and infinitely debatable back-to-back three star contrast if Corton, too, gets the trey. Double book it (and, Drew, if we're wrong there's a bottle of something good signed 'xoxoEater' coming your way): three stars for Corton.
· Corton [NYT; after 8:00 PM]
?? denotes the Eater bet.