Insieme

At Insieme, the menu is separated into “traditional” and “contemporary” Italian dishes, and they offer a “pasta tasting menu” as well. Insieme means “together” in Italian, so it’s a fusion of old and new, with a focus on fresh ingredients as chef Marco Canora learned from Tom Colicchio. But in light of its recent Michelin star gain, Frank Bruni’s coveted “very good” review, and praises sung by my family members (who are hard to please), my expectations were as high as could be before my visit. With these high hopes, I couldn’t help noticing the strange service.

The oddities began at the very beginning, when our waitress warned that there were only 2 left of the special pork appetizer, despite the empty restaurant and the wee hour of 5:30PM we were dining at. I guess the lunch crew really loves their pork? A friend of mine said she had a similar experience when they were nearly out of the lasagne on her visit. I get that it’s possible for a restaurant to “run out” of things, and dishes are not made completely fresh for each meal, but having it be a point of discussion was off-putting and seemed out of place in a fine restaurant. In addition, our waitress was uncomfortable with the menu and rather cold toward us. My Mom inquired about the lamb preparation and the response was that it was a loin and a shank. She then had to pry for more information. Is this the “warm hospitality” that Insieme prides itself in?

This, coupled with my Dad’s extreme difficulty in finding somebody to help select a Gruner Veltliner, started the meal on bad footing. Our waitress was missing so a bus boy tried to assist, followed by the manager, despite pleas for help from somebody familiar with the list. Eventually the beverage director assisted us.

The food itself, was really nice. I’m still dreaming about my sweetbreads with lemon, capers and parsley and a perfectly cooked papardelle with smoked lamb neck. A branzino “saltimbocca” wrapped in paper thin slices of prosciutto was delicately seasoned and accented by a lemon puree. I was still envious of my sister’s tender, rich duck breast with foie gras and hazelnuts though. The beverage director helped us select a cheese assortment that fit my “super stinky” requirement and brought some Madeira to close the meal. He truly salvaged the meal from our frigid waitress, hand-picking wines for each course including the Gruner Veltliner, a Garnacha, and an ‘03 Brunello.

In perspective, my complaints are not major, but worth noting. I love Hearth and Terroir, Grieco/Canora’s, other spots and I think they’re better than this. I hope that if you visit Insieme you order the papardelle, and a different waitress.

Insieme: 777 7th Avenue @51st Street
Cuisine: Italian
Average Entree Price: $20-$36
Food: Very Good
Service: Good
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite

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Filed under Cuisine, Italian, Midtown West, Neighborhood, Restaurant Reviews | Comment (0)