i work super hard at being an excellent dining companion. >> anthony: when seeking excellence in a dining companion, what qualities does one look for? >> david: i turn my phone off. i -- you know, i never put my elbows on the table. i don't -- >> anthony: really? >> david: of course. come prepared with stories. don't drink too much. don't become sloppy. >> anthony: come prepared with anecdotes? >> david: absolutely. >> anthony: no elbows on the table? >> david: no. it's not -- it's not -- it's not proper. >> anthony: i'm a total failure as a dining companion. what -- what is that? what's that, you ask? an iconic escoffier-era classic of gastronomy? ho, look at that sauce. horap. the devilishly difficult lievre a la royale, a boneless wild hare in a sauce of its own blood, a generous heaping of fresh black truffle, garnished with thick slabs of foie gras, seared directly on the top of the cabin's wood stove.