A Very Very Rice Dinner with Octavio

Farmers' market beet greens ready for the Cafe Drake treatment: braised with dried chilies, ginger and shallots.

Octavio appears to have cheered up now that the food has arrived.

A shrimp and mushroom pilao - or Indian pilaf - was our entree on this evening.



A variety of spices and aromatic vegetables awaiting the addition of shrimp and basmati rice.



Lightly spiced yogurt and sliced Vidalia onions are the perfect co-stars to any pilaf.