Mario Batali just opened a Spanish restaurant on 17th and Irving.

Mario Batali just opened a Spanish restaurant on 17th and Irving.

Welcome to Groundhog Day, the gastronomic way.

Bar Jamon and Casa Mono are two different places, located next door to each another. Bar Jamon is (literally and figuratively) a ham bar that serves Spanish meats, cheeses, and wines. Bottles line the wall, and there are meat slicers behind the bar. It all feels very Madrid, and seating recalls the bar at Otto: high tables and stools.

You can have a proper seat at Casa Mono, where small plates are the order of the day. (Duh. This is winter 2003.) The pickings — duck eggs, cockles, sepia, quail, tripe, sweetbreads, and cock’s comb — are not for Miss Picky Pants. We suggest you leave her at home.

Both spots are owned by Batali and partner Joe Bastianich, as well as Babbo alums Andy Nusser and Nancy Seltzer. Jamon serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner; Mono serves dinner. Expect a wait at any time of day. Molto Mario may have left the Boot, but the crowds and the hype have followed.

Who knew redundancy could be so exciting?

Bar Jamon, 125 East 17th Street, between Irving Place and Park Avenue South; Casa Mono, 52 Irving Place, at 17th Street (212-253-2773 for both restaurants).