Filipino Festival

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.

Seth Tillman heads to Hiraya on H St., NE in Washington, DC. There, Executive Chef Julie Cortes introduces their unique take on a Filipino adobo, which uses duck confit instead of a more traditional meat. Chef Julie demonstrates the cooking process, including sautéing garlic, preparing the adobo sauce with Filipino soy sauce, coconut vinegar, and duck stock, and searing the duck breast and legs.

At F & F Filipino Fusion in Chantilly, VA, Chef/Owner Irene Bautista Cuison introduces Seth Tillman to bangus sisig -- a dish featuring the national fish of the Philippines prepared with a French influence. She sears the bangus with butter, debones it, and mixes it with shallots, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, and capers. The dish is garnished with skin, sunny-side-up eggs, and served with rice.

Seth Tillman heads to Egg Karne, a Filipino-American fusion restaurant in Herndon, VA. Owner Alvin Barnuevo demonstrates how to prepare an ube burger, a Filipino-inspired dish featuring a bun made from ube, a purple sweet potato. Chef Alvin prepares the ube batter and cooks it on a grill along with homemade longanisa patties. The burger is assembled with cheese, fried eggs, and powdered sugar.