Signature Dish Season 2
Signature Dish host and producer Seth Tillman combines a gourmand's appreciation for the area's diverse culinary offerings with a keen interest in the people who make local communities thrive. On each Signature Dish episode, he visits three restaurants, and does more than simply taste the signature dish; he explores the backstory of the restaurant, its neighborhood and the people behind the food.
Check out the brand new Signature Dish Restaurant Guide, which provides additional information about each featured restaurant, to help guide your local culinary adventures.
Episodes
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Savoring South America
S2 E10 - 27m 7s
Host Seth Tillman explores the vibrant and diverse flavors of South America, beginning at Fire Pit Brazilian BBQ in Rockville, MD, where juicy picanha steak is on the menu. Next, the nikkei ceviche at Arlington, VA’s Inca Social wows diners by breaking down a whole tuna. The journey concludes in Wheaton, MD with Kantutas' silpancho, a Bolivian feast piled high with steak, eggs, rice and potatoes.
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Food Hall Finds
S2 E9 - 28m 52s
Seth dives into a flavorful exploration of one of the hottest current food trends: urban food halls, where diners can find dishes to satisfy any palate. First stop: Puddin’ at Union Market in DC for chicken and beef sausage gumbo. At the miXt Food Hall in Brentwood, MD, Mush offers the vegan banh mi izzit sandwich. In downtown DC at The Square, Brasa crafts handmade butifarra sausage.
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Flavors of China
S2 E8 - 27m
Host Seth Tillman takes a flavorful journey through Chinese cuisine, beginning at Columbia Heights’ Queen’s English with a standout crispy whole red snapper. Rou jia mo (Chinese hamburger) is in the spotlight at Northwest Chinese Food in College Park, MD. The final stop is at Yanzi Noodle House in Fairfax, VA for the one-of-a-kind luosifen (noodle soup flavored with snails).
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French Delights
S2 E7 - 28m 55s
Explore the rich tapestry and traditions of French gastronomy with host Seth Tillman. First stop: Chez Billy Sud in Georgetown, for oeufs en meurette (eggs in a red wine sauce). In DC’s NoMa neighborhood, Le Clou blends tradition with modernity in their ris de veau (sweetbreads basted in brown butter). Bastille in Old Town, Alexandria, offers up a magret de canard (slow-seared Moulard duck).
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Best of Breakfast
S2 E6 - 27m 42s
This episode explores one of the most-requested cuisines from Signature Dish viewers: breakfast! At La Tejana in D.C.’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood, Seth samples the 956 breakfast taco, before heading to Poolesville, Maryland to try Locals Farm Market’s famous chicken and waffles. The final stop is Any Day Now in D.C.’s Navy Yard for the scallion pancake breakfast sandwich.
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Just Desserts
S2 E5 - 28m 33s
Seth skips the main course and dives right into dessert, with memorable visits to the neo-bistro Lutèce in Georgetown, the dessert shop Mr. Bake Sweets in Riverdale Park, Maryland, and The Conche in Leesburg, Virginia, where chocolate infuses everything on the menu - even the drinks!
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Crossover Cuisine
S2 E4 - 26m 23s
The innovative world of fusion cuisine, where culinary traditions collide and create something new, is the heart of this episode. Seth stops by Imperfecto in D.C.’s West End and then crosses into Virginia to visit Mama Tigre in Oakton and Wooboi in Alexandria.
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Mediterranean Magic
S2 E3 - 26m 10s
Seth dives into the rich culinary heritage of the Mediterranean. He first stops at Green Almond Pantry in Georgetown, then heads to Maryland for a stop at Cedars of Lebanon in Greenbelt and Melina in North Bethesda to explore the unique flavors from across the Mediterranean region.
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Pizza Perfection
S2 E2 - 25m 58s
The star of this D.C.-focused episode is a universal favorite: pizza. From the unique Roman-style “pinsas” of La Casina in Capitol Hill to the Detroit-style delights of Shaw’s Motown Square, and the Greek-influenced creations at Martha Dear in Mount Pleasant, Seth explores the artistry behind the perfect pie.
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Comfort Food Favorites
S2 E1 - 28m 1s
Host Seth Tillman kicks off season 2 with a hearty dose of comfort food. He tries the local blue catfish fish and chips at Preserve in Annapolis, MD; a bowl of chicken soup (pozole verde) at Cielo Rojo in Takoma Park, MD, and a visit to Caruso’s Grocery in Capitol Hill East, D.C. for a perfectly executed chicken parmigiana.
Extras + Features
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Preview: Filipino Festival
S2 E11 - 30s
A mosaic of flavors and techniques are in store as host Seth Tillman visits Filipino restaurants in the D.C. area. Hiraya on H Street mixes unique flavors in its adobo duck confit. An ube breakfast burger at Egg Karne in Herdon, VA puts a spin on a familiar favorite. F&F Filipino Fusion in Chantilly, VA offers bangus sisig, the national fish of the Philippines cooked with French techniques.
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Watch Inca Social Blend Flavors in Their Nikkei Ceviche
S2 E10 - 5m 21s
Host Seth Tillman heads to Inca Social, a Peruvian restaurant in Arlington, Virginia. There, he meets co-owner Fito Garcia and executive chef/co-owner Michael Ciuffardi, who show him how to make the Latin restaurant's unique dish: Nikkei ceviche, a seafood dish which combines Peruvian and Japanese influences.
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Preview: Savoring South America
S2 E10 - 30s
Host Seth Tillman explores the vibrant and diverse flavors of South America, beginning at Fire Pit Brazilian BBQ in Rockville, MD, where juicy picanha steak is on the menu. Next, the nikkei ceviche at Arlington, VA’s Inca Social wows diners by breaking down a whole tuna. The journey concludes in Wheaton, MD with Kantutas' silpancho, a Bolivian feast piled high with steak, eggs, rice and potatoes.
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Watch Maryland Restaurant Kantutas Make Silpancho
S2 E10 - 4m 52s
Host Seth Tillman heads to Kantutas, a Bolivian restaurant in Wheaton, Maryland, where co-owner Maria Peredo introduces Seth to the Bolivian food silpancho. Silpancho is a hearty meal of beef and eggs from the Bolivian city of Cochabamba.
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See Why the Picanha Steak is the Queen of Brazilian BBQ
S2 E10 - 6m 33s
Host Seth Tillman heads to Fire Pit Brazilian BBQ, a barbecue trailer to explore some of Maryland's best Brazilian barbecue. Pitmaster and Owner Gui Gonzalez showcases the preparation and grilling of picanha, a prized cut of Brazilian barbecue.
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How PUDDIN' Prepares Authentic Gumbo in the Heart of DC
S2 E9 - 6m
Host Seth Tillman heads to PUDDIN', a restaurant in DC's Union Market. There, chef and owner Toyin Allin shows how to make her unique take on gumbo, which combines chicken and beef sausage with smoked ground shrimp, okra, and sassafras for thickening. She explains the historical influences behind the New Orleans' food, incorporating elements from both West African and American cuisines.
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Watch BRASA Handcraft Their Butifarra Spanish Sausage
S2 E9 - 8m 6s
Host Seth Tillman heads to BRASA, a Spanish restaurant offering grilled meats on an open fire. There, Chef Rubén García showcases the process of making butifarra, a simple sausage consisting of pork, salt, and pepper. Seth joins in on the sausage-making process, learning the steps from grinding the meat to stuffing the casings. Chef Rubén emphasizes the importance of quality ingredients.
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Preview: Food Hall Finds
S2 E9 - 30s
Seth dives into a flavorful exploration of one of the hottest current food trends: urban food halls, where diners can find dishes to satisfy any palate. First stop: Puddin’ at Union Market in DC for chicken and beef sausage gumbo. Brentwood, MD's Mush offers the vegan banh mi izzit sandwich. In downtown DC at The Square, Brasa crafts handmade butifarra sausage.
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How MUSH DC Makes its its Vegan Banh Mi Izzit
S2 E9 - 4m 8s
Seth Tillman heads to MUSH DC, a Vegan Restaurant in miXt food hall in Brentwood, MD where chef and co-owner Tarik Frazier introduces a unique vegan take on the classic Banh Mi sandwich. The sandwich is assembled with sesame sriracha sauce, house-made pickles, and fried oyster mushrooms. Chef Tarik also creates a flavorful slaw with cabbage, red onion, mint, ginger, and cilantro.
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Rou Jia Mo -- a Chinese Burger -- at Northwest Chinese Food
S2 E8 - 5m 55s
Seth Tillman stops by Northwest Chinese Food in College Park, Maryland to sample their Rou jia mo (Chinese hamburger). Chef Hua begins by preparing the dough for the buns, forming them into small towers and baking them to perfection. Meanwhile, she cooks the beef filling until it's tender and flavorful, ready to be chopped and seasoned.
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Preview: Flavors of China
S2 E8 - 30s
Host Seth Tillman takes a flavorful journey through Chinese cuisine, beginning at Columbia Heights’ Queen’s English with a standout crispy whole red snapper. Rou jia mo (Chinese hamburger) is in the spotlight at Northwest Chinese Food in College Park, MD. The final stop is at Yanzi Noodle House in Fairfax, VA for the one-of-a-kind luosifen (noodle soup flavored with snails).
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How Queen's English Puts a Twist on a Cantonese Red Snapper
S2 E8 - 6m 40s
Seth Tillman samples a standout crispy whole red snapper at Queen’s English in Columbia Heights. Chef and co-owner Henji Cheung de-bones the fish and then coats it in a light breading mixture of rice flour, cornstarch, and spices. As the fish fries, Henji prepares the chili sauce in the smoking hot wok, using lemongrass, red bell pepper, ginger, and garlic.
Schedule
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Signature Dish
Saturday
Mar 23
30 Minutes
Chefs putting their own twists on West African cuisine; Ghanaian stew egusi; Senegalese yassa chicken; Gambian seafood stew ebbeh. -
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Signature Dish
Filipino Festival
Monday
Mar 25
30 Minutes
A mosaic of flavors and techniques are in store as host Seth Tillman visits Filipino restaurants in the D.C. area. -
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Signature Dish
Filipino Festival
Monday
Mar 25
30 Minutes
A mosaic of flavors and techniques are in store as host Seth Tillman visits Filipino restaurants in the D.C. area. -
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Signature Dish
Filipino Festival
Tuesday
Mar 26
30 Minutes
A mosaic of flavors and techniques are in store as host Seth Tillman visits Filipino restaurants in the D.C. area. -
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Signature Dish
Filipino Festival
Tuesday
Mar 26
30 Minutes
A mosaic of flavors and techniques are in store as host Seth Tillman visits Filipino restaurants in the D.C. area. -
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Signature Dish
Filipino Festival
Tuesday
Mar 26
30 Minutes
A mosaic of flavors and techniques are in store as host Seth Tillman visits Filipino restaurants in the D.C. area. -
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Signature Dish
Seafood Standouts
Saturday
Mar 30
30 Minutes
True Blue Maryland crab burger; Mahi Mahi avocado; black cod. -
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Signature Dish
Monday
Apr 1
30 Minutes
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Signature Dish
Tuesday
Apr 2
30 Minutes
Signature Dish Restaurant Guide
The Signature Dish Restaurant Guide provides additional information about each signature dish, including restaurant locations, reviews, and video clips from each episode, all sorted by cuisine type and plotted on an interactive map of the local area.
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