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Named for the Roman god Janus, whose two heads face different directions, Giano looks to the past and to the future with both its food and décor. The front of the East Village restaurant is sleek and modern, with a curving resin bar and wine specials projected on a screen in a font that mimics handwriting on a chalkboard. Walk farther inside, and the motif shifts to rustic wood and exposed brick. The three owners hail from Milan, and the menu, like Insieme’s Marco Canora’s, is divided into separate categories for the traditional and the contemporary. Lasagne alla Bolognese occupies the former, naturally, while the latter is devoted to novelties like balsamic glazed filet mignon, and salmon fillet with peas and fava beans. — Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite

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