The EAZ crew dropped into MercBar and test drove both the newly improved food menu and the cocktails. So what did they think?
You can now graze a menu of delicious small plates in a place that historically never served more than cheese and salami. Wild Mushroom Ravioli is served in a garlicky white wine sauce and topped with shaved pecorino ($10). Mozzarella & Cherry Tomato Skewers are punched up with flavors of basil and aged balsamic ($5). The large portion of Peppadew Peppers is stuffed with mozzarella and herbs and doused in olive oil ($4). There’s also toasted bread with lump crab, lemon aioli, and jalapeno ($8), soups, and an amped-up selection of charcuterie and cheeses. But the most popular item is probably the heartiest–the Meatballs, served in a bowl of tomato sauce with toasted bread ($10). Everything we tried was actually, dare we say, worth going to MercBar for – not just something to think about once you’re already there.
Meanwhile, Merc’s GM Tommy McCormack has been busy on the cocktail side, orchestrating a menu of 10 new signature cocktails for $12 each and a few of the classics for $10 each. A couple of the new ones almost taste True Food healthy, they’re so refreshing. We dug the La Zanahoria with Patron Reposado, Domain Canton Ginger Liquor, Cointreau and fresh carrot juice, as well as the Chef’s Table with Cucumber Effin Vodka, pressed jalapeno and basil, jalapeno olive juice, and tomato juice. He’s also put together a list of about a dozen red and a dozen white wines that feels like someone’s put some actual concern into what’s being served. We were always frustrated with selections there, and now it’s on the list of places with, well, a good list.
[EaterAZ]
