Top honors went to the fall-away-tender braised rabbit and to an equally fetching special of braised lamb shank.

"I have a portfolio of safe and boring shares, but they're no fun," he said over a lunch of braised rabbit with grain mustard sauce at his Shepherd's restaurant here.

And when cooked, it stands up well to the rich sauce of dark braised rabbit.

R. W. Apple Jr. was pleased by how the cabernet francs complemented a dish of braised rabbit.

Christopher chose the evening's special - a braised rabbit with roasted garlic and green olives.

Delicate braised rabbit is served with squares of grilled polenta and pieces of roasted garlic.

I packed up braised rabbit in return.

With a main course of braised rabbit, I had a medium-weight amontillado, with just enough heft and depth to match the richness of the dish.

It might include dense, spicy Lyonnais sausages, perfect braised rabbit with mustard sauce or platters of fruits de mer.

An appetizer special that will linger in my memory was one of airy gnocchi tossed with meltingly tender shards of braised rabbit, pancetta, chanterelles, pine nuts and golden raisins.