Kato is bringing a taste of Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles this week, teaming up with Moon Rabbit for a two-night collaborative dinner marking the restaurant's fourth annual Mid-Autumn Festival celebration. The pairing brings together two kitchens known for reworking Asian flavors through a modern lens, with a menu built around roughly nine courses.
A Cross-Country Kitchen Swap for Mid-Autumn Festival
According to the event listing on rowdtla.com, Kato has invited the team from Moon Rabbit in Washington, D.C. for the two-night collaborative menu. The dinner takes place Thursday and Friday at Kato, located at 777 S. Alameda St. in Los Angeles, as reported by Time Out. Diners will be able to choose between a wine, alcohol-free or cocktail pairing to go with the roughly nine-course menu, per the same listing.
Moon Rabbit is led by Chef Kevin Tien, whose cooking explores Vietnamese flavors through the lens of his upbringing in Louisiana and his life in Washington, D.C., the listing notes. The menu description credits Tien and Chef Susan Bae with combining Vietnamese flavors, Southern influences and modern technique. On its own site, OpenTable describes Moon Rabbit as a highly regarded Vietnamese restaurant situated in the heart of Washington, D.C.
What's on the Table — and What's Not
Would-be guests should know upfront that the event listing states there will be no accommodations for dietary restrictions or allergies, so this is not the night to bring a picky eater. Kato itself typically serves seasonally focused tasting menus influenced by Taiwan and Asian American nostalgia, according to its OpenTable profile, which also lists the restaurant's address as 777 S. Alameda St., building 1, suite 114.
Moon Rabbit's own site describes its approach as a modern take on traditional Asian cuisine, combining bold flavors with meticulous techniques, according to moonrabbitdc.com. That philosophy lines up neatly with the spirit of the occasion: the Mid-Autumn Festival is described in the event listing as a time for loved ones to reunite, a joyous occasion focused on family and abundance, with more than 2,000 years of history behind it.
A Chef With National Recognition
The collaboration also arrives amid a notable year for Moon Rabbit's kitchen. Chef Susan Bae was named a 2026 James Beard Award Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker semifinalist for Moon Rabbit in Washington, D.C., according to the James Beard Foundation. That recognition adds another layer of buzz to a dinner already built around two kitchens with distinct, ingredient-driven identities finding common ground for two nights.
