Southeast Asian Specialties

While the flavors of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine are familiar to DC area diners, other unique cuisines of Southeast Asia are gaining popularity. Seth samples three dishes that represent these new trends: ohno knauk swe (coconut curry chicken noodle soup) at Thamee in Northeast DC; lechon belly at Kuya Ja Lechon Belly in Kensington, MD; fish head curry at Malaysian Kopitiam in Centreville, VA.

Seth heads to Kuya Ja, a Filipino restaurant in Rockville, MD, to learn from Chef Javier "Ja" Fernandez about the art of cooking lechon belly, a delicious roast pork belly dish from the Philippines' Island of Cebu. Roasted for hours, stuffed with pineapple and lemongrass, and flavored with a myriad of spices, Chef Ja reveals how to achieve crispy skin and the perfect mahogany color.

Host Seth Tillman visits Malaysia Kopitiam, a Malaysian restaurant specializing in Nyonya cuisine located in Centreville, VA to try their signature Nyonya Curry Fish Head. This Peranakan cuisine boasts a symphony of roots, flowers, and leaves, creating a delicious and aromatic flavor. Chef Penny Poon also uses a unique ingredient, galangal flower, and cod heads to reduce the dish's fishy flavor.