Every chef seems to have that "go-to" dish that sticks on the menu and stands the test of time.  Sometimes it is one that the chef feels represents his cooking style, others linger because customers can't get enough of the dish.  It's what most call a "signature dish."

The dish may be simple and straightforward or slightly more creative. Eric Brennan of Boston's Excelsior restaurant told BostonNOW his signature is Seared Steak Tartare au Poivre where he takes two familiar dishes and blends them for a unique take:

It is a take-off on steak au poivre. We put green peppercorns and cognac in with the meat. Dust top with cracked black pepper, and sear the top with a searing iron. It gives off a smell, people ask what it is. But it smells like a hamburger. Everyone likes the char on the outside, but cool and creamy inside.

Sometimes that signature dish sounds simple, but packs powerful flavors that keep customers ordering it over and over again.  Take Todd Gray's BBQ Salmon with Corn Salad that is a staple of the summer lunch menu at Equinox in Washington, DC.  His is not a barbecue establishment by any means, but this simultaneously refreshing and spicy dish can be the antidote for a sultry summer day in the nation's capital.

Occasionally a chef regrets that something has become a signature dish.   Gordon Hamersley of Hamersley's Bistro in Boston has been known since its first restaurant review for its roast chicken.  Boston Magazine reported recently that the chef wishes it were not so: "as Hamersley’s celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, the chef really wishes you’d order something else. "

Others like their signature dishes so much that they crave eating it themselves.   Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay once told a reporter that his own choice for a  last meal would be sea bass and new potatoes.  He explained: "Sea bass was my signature dish - and it is an easy recipe to execute and a truly flavoursome dish."

Even animated rodent chefs are getting in on the signature dish game.  Jason Perlow explains step by step on his blog how to make the "Confit Byaldi" that marks the cornerstone dish of the movie Ratatouille.  Alas, Remy the rat chef had a bit of help with his behind-the-scenes (and not so animated) sous chef, Thomas Keller, in formulating it.