Why Boiled Fish at ASTORIA DC is the Perfect Spicy Late-Night Dish | Signature Dish

Host Seth Tillman heads to Astoria, a Sichuan restaurant in Washington, DC's Dupont Circle neighborhood. Chef/Owner Devin Gong demonstrates how to make water-boiled fish, a classic Sichuan dish known for its spicy and flavorful profile. He explains the process of flavoring the oil with ginger, scallion, and cilantro before adding spices like Sichuan peppercorns and doubanjiang. The fish, marinated in salt, pepper, gin, and aromatics, is poached in a flavorful broth and topped with pickled chilies, cumin, garlic, and scallions. Devin emphasizes the importance of balancing flavors and textures, noting the dish's numbing and spicy elements. Seth joins in to taste the dish, pairing it with a classic tiki cocktail called The Zombie to complement its bold flavors. They discuss the intensity of Sichuan cuisine and the addictive nature of spicy and numbing sensations, which make Astoria one of DC's great late night food options.

This video is part of WETA's SIGNATURE DISH series, which highlights standout dishes from top restaurants across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Host Seth Tillman explores the incredibly diverse array of cuisines that the DMV offers, chatting with chefs, restauranters and others to explore the people and cultures behind DC’s best food. From strip mall eateries to fine dining establishments, SIGNATURE DISH explores DC’s favorite restaurants and brings you the many flavors of the DMV.

Explore more DMV food with more clips from SIGNATURE DISH:    • Best Restaurants in DC | Signature Dish  

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