Ms. Disney said the accord between high-fat dishes and political debate is born of a different physiological mandate.

At other restaurants the choices vacillate between theme foods and dishes that can be mass-produced.

The omnipresence of the oregano and cumin make the differences between dishes subtle, but each distinguishes itself.

In practice, this kitchen's outlook is somewhat conservative: differences between featured regional dishes and those usually found on Italian menus could be more dramatic.

The menu, too, is split, neatly divided between Southern and Jamaican dishes.

So the differences between individual dishes may be very subtle.

Between dishes, the tasters expressed relief that East Coast Academy members had received their ballots.

The regular menu is evenly divided between "traditional" and "signature" dishes, matched on facing pages.

Divide the mixture between four ramekins or small ovenproof dishes.

"There's a big difference between dishes and animals," I said.