April 17, 2007

Together Forever

Insieme Opens

Not every food fight was meant to be resolved kitchen-stadium style. (Let Team Tastes Great battle Team Less Filling for all eternity.)

But the Old School versus New World feud can call a truce at Insieme.

The new restaurant from Hearth team Marco Canora and Paul Grieco takes Italian food to heights rarely seen. The menu is split: on the left, classics like fish stew, roast pork, and linguine with clam sauce; on the right, modern interpretations like beef in broth with star anise, olive fettucine with duck ragu, and four cuts of lamb with lavender. Can’t decide? The tasting menu combines the two. (“Insieme” means “together” in Italian.)

The room is elegant — all beautiful woods, silk thread curtains, and shades of white and cream.

The boys have come to the right part of town to aim high. Le Bernardin is right across the street.

And another rumble is afoot: French vs. Italian.

Insieme, 777 Seventh Avenue, at 51st Street (212-582-1310).