It’s probably a given that wunderkind chef Marco Canora, who ran the kitchen at Craft and then later with his Hearth, is a genius of Italian gastronomy. After all, isn't it a foodie rule of thumb that the higher the culinary degree, the smaller the portions? Why, we can even predict that the day will come when high-end chefs, empowered by genetically inflated cerebellums, will offer us a mere smell of their creations, bottled fresh for mass consumption, and priced at unreachable heights.

True, Canora's Midtown Italian spot, Insieme, which opened within the Michelangelo Hotel above Times Square, is a tad more generous than the average designer plate. But, from our vantage point, the whole enterprise could be seen as a Craft redux.

Deep within the The Michelangelo, Insieme has no cocktail bar, and gets right down to business with a small space that is decorated with the same hand that fashioned both Craft and Hearth: White banquettes and bleached white oak dining tables fill the room, while sheer, white curtains cover one entire wall.

Canora himself is occasionally on hand, joshing with diners, congratulating them for their choices, or warning them about how lavender and spring garlic brings out the best in the lamb.

No surprise, Insieme is all about Italian. And while the Times Square location alone is probably enough to keep business hopping, the kitchen is equally impressive. As at Canora’s previous locations, there's an emphasis on local, seasonal ingredients, although Insieme's prices and atmosphere are slightly more accessible.