James Ross, a conductor and friend of theirs, would play a Bach horn during the pasta course.

The pasta course would be more interesting with fresh pasta.

The soup bowls having been removed, the pasta course appeared.

Researchers there had 33 women eat a variation on the same garden salad 20 minutes before a main pasta course.

The lunchtime menu, comprising a pasta, main course and side dish, is good value.

For $40, a diner gets a pasta course, a second course of fish, a salad and dessert and house wine.

The pasta course too came out of robust tradition, interpreted with a light hand.

"It took them over half an hour to eat the pasta course, because everyone was being so careful," Mr. Goldberg said.

"While I'm trying to make that leap of thought, we'll order the pasta course."

In terms of selecting entrees, I should have paid closer attention to my experiences with the pasta course.