Wednesday Food News: Early Edition

This week in the Times, Bruni dines at Mercat, awards the restaurant one star. He likes the food; doesn't like the noise level. "Some wonderful food, some clangorous acoustics: these are the defining traits of Mercat," he says. Prices at the Spanish restaurant are quite reasonable, and with it come some tradeofffs: the food is sometimes uneven (particularly the seafood), service a bit off, noise level too high, desserts less than spectacular.

In Dining Briefs, Marian Burros goes to Park Terrace Bistro in Inwood for Moroccan, loves everything but the vegetable tagine, and says it's well worth the trip. Bruni revisits Lure Fishbar, finds the quality of the fish high and that restaurant has grown up. Also likes the service. And Kim Severson goes to Hibino in Cobble Hill, where they make fresh tofu twice a day. They also serve a terrific Japanese obanzai, or tapas, that changes daily.

Also in the Times, Kris Ensminger compiles a list of restaurants in Jackson Heights, Queens, worth visiting: Delhi Palace, Ranger Texas Barbeque, Unidentified Flying Chickens, Tibetan Yak, and Zabb Queens.

And in Bloomberg News, Ryan Sutton goes to the newly opened Manhattan branch of Aurora, where he says chef Richard Buitoni is "a master of chill." Finds black summer truffles on many dishes, loves the cocktails--especially the Americano--and recommends the desserts. Sutton also stops by Rayuela on the LES, where he sampled the raw fish and cocktails. Likes the raw fish; finds the cocktails "insufficiently chilled."