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Asellina, the restaurant attached to the Gansevoort Park Hotel, delivers on scene but less so on cuisine. The vast expanse of a dining room is tricked out with modern fireplaces, two-story ceilings, Italian cowhide carpets, and leather-wrapped walls; standing out in the jumble of trying-too-hard are charming murals made of metal bottle caps. The kitchen, manned by native Sardinian Marco Porceddu, seems to be an afterthought both to the management and the droves of pretty people that wait 45 minutes for a table on a Tuesday. Porceddu’s eight years at Francesco in Las Vegas have brought out his inner showman—the nouveau-Italian dishes sound and look exciting but lack substance. The menu’s description of suckling pig pizze is mouthwatering, but the bland-ish rectangular pie is snooze-inducing. Clams in their shells sail on waves of licorice-black squid ink tagliatelle—it’s impressive-looking, but the taste careens into greasy territory. In the antipasti section, Cerignola olives stuffed with roasted veal and Parmesan turn out dry and dusty though they look very sweet plated with rosemary and thyme. To avoid such disappointments, order a chilled wine and some well-sourced meats and cheeses in the simple, moss-walled back terrace. — Edna Ishayik