Last Friday I arrived in Manhattan early for an opera curtain and as I wandered around, I decided to try INSIEME (located in the Michelangelo Hotel) on the corner of West 51st Street at 7th Avenue (right in the heart of Times Square). I have tried to dine here in the past post-theater, but it is only 70 seats and always jammed!
INSIEME (www.restaurantinsieme.com) means "together" and while the overall experience was pretty good, I was grossly disappointed with the TINY portions.
The menu offers TRADITIONAL ITALIAN nad MODERN CONTEMPORARY sides, so I started with the traditional VITELLONE CRUDO which was a Pasture-Fed BEEF TARTARE made with Porcini Mushrooms and Lemon. It was about as tasty as could be in the mid-teens could have been more than five-six small bites. It does come with about eight small slices of bruschetta like salted toast, but it was Passover and they did not offer a Mazta alternative!
The meal actually began with some very nice and TINY amuses. The first tray of three one bite items included an OLIVE stuffed with GORGONZOLA, a BRUSCHETTA slice (just like that with my tartare--about 1/2 inch round) with RICOTTA (I skipped the bread) and a RADISH with a hollow in the top filled with OLIVE OIL and ANCHOVY, although I could taste no anchovy, salt or fish at all.
A wonderful three sip espresso cup came with STRACIATELLA that wonderful Italian version of EGG DROP soup that was made with the best of broths.
My wine was a 3 ounce tasting of PIGREGO Cipresso 2005 from SICILY which was an UNtypical blend for that island of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot nad Merlot. It was a yummy wine, but since I had a long opera, I kept my sips small and far between. Incidentally the wines come in 6 or 3 ounce tastes ranging from $4.25 to $18, a very good idea.
My entree was from the Contemporary side of the menu-MAGRET DUCK with FOIE GRAS, HAZELNUTS, RHUBARD and TURNIPS consisted of 6 small thin and tasty slices of duck (each a maximum of two bites) over a bed of spinach. The foie gras was similarly two bites and not very exciting with about one total crumbled hazelnut and two small slices or rhubard underneath.
I couldnt' find anything for dessert that did not have cake (it was Passover) so I skipped and they brought me thee super-mini biscotti which I quickly turned back as well. I guess it never cliecked in when i said I did not want any bread at the start!
I left hungry and felt I should stop somewhere for a salad. Perhaps I chose the wrong items, but at $30-something for duck I expected to be reasonably full....maybe next time, if there ever is one. Chef MARCO CANORA has created a beautiful setting and some wonderful food options, he just must be very chintzy!
