The disappearing signature dish
Have you noticed that in the past few years the whole concept of a restaurant's signature dish is disappearing? In 1996 the theme of our dining guide was "Signature Sensations," an idea that now seems seriously outmoded. ...
(Photo courtesy of Prime Rib)
I was struck by this while I was researching the Top Ten places worth the gas money. When I called and asked for a signature dish, almost all of the restaurants insisted they didn't have one. Most places worth their salt these days have seasonal menus that use local ingredients whenever possible, so no one dish is available year round. I had to do some serious cajoling to get them to name something that would at least give readers a concrete idea of the kind of food they served -- as opposed to, say, "contemporary American cuisine."
Of course, there will always be Bertha's mussels, the Prime Rib's prime rib, and Tio Pepe's shrimp in garlic sauce and pine nut roll cake -- God bless them -- but newer restaurants often don't have one dish you can count on being on the menu.
