Kato Restaurant

Beautifully presented meal courses that draw their flavor profile from classic Taiwanese cuisine. Every dish has a story to tell on its own. As a Taiwanese grown person, each dish transports me to my childhood with every bite. The marriage of ingredients is truly breathtaking. I can understand why they are awarded their first Michelin star. It is warranted considering the caliber of technique with a strong execution level, making it a memorable dinner for days to come.

I had a great experience dining at Kato. Every dish is creatively prepared and absolutely delicious. Each course is plated in a way that fits the character of the dish and makes for a great experience. I looked forward to each course not just for how it tasted but to see how it would be presented. Really making art from food. Wait staff is efficient courteous and professional. The dining area is clean and minimalist and I loved how consistent the decor was from the tables, to the dishes and flatware. The restaurant is conveniently located in The Row so parking is easy and they do validate. Reservations are mandatory and you really need to be on it when they release to get it booked but it's absolutely wort the wait.

I have waited so long to come eat at this restaurant and it did not disappoint at all! Many of the dishes were structured around traditional Asian dishes but reimagined in a modern way. This gave very nostalgic vibes and it definitely made the food more accessible to our Asian parents (who are usually critical of eating anything that costs more than $20). The service was exceptional and all floor staff were attentive and helpful. After the meal they also gave us some cookies to take home, and those were delicious. Standout courses for me were the duck and lobster!

Most of these reviews tell you how amazing and wonderful the place is. This time, I'll try something different. You will like this place if you want deep, earthy flavors biasing towards sea over land (even the duck dish is soft). You will also like this place if you want the theme to be different tastes as opposed to a singular exploration. You will not like this place if ... well if you don't like fish. But you already knew that; it's in the sign for the restaurant (no, Kato doesn't mean "fish", I think "fish" in Japanese is "sakana"). Anyway, go. Make sure to try at least one cocktail. Also reservations for odd numbers require calling, so have a significant other or you'll have a tougher time finding a seat. My friend said it's not memorable but IMO a meal doesn't have to be memorable to be five stars. I don't have the brain space for every memorable meal anyway.

I came here for dinner with a friend in mid June 2022. The parking was easy since they have a parking lot. However, validation is only good for 2 hours and we ended up having to pay $5 on top of the validation. My friend got the wine pairing while I got the alcohol free wine pairing (extra $75) - which I've never even heard of before. We also got the waygu add-on which was an extra $45. The waygu add-on was worth it but the non-alcoholic pairing was not, in my opinion. There were maybe two or three dishes where the non-alcoholic pairing was right on the money but the rest were misses for me and not worth the $75 extra. I would still recommend you try it if you can't drink alcohol just for the experience if you've never had a wine pairing before. All in all, I found the meal pretty ground breaking since I've never had Taiwanese food in a fine dining setting. Out of the 11 dishes, I liked seven of them. It was pretty pricey ($389 total for just my portion) but still very impressive. Would highly recommend.

One of the best meals Ive ever had in my life. Each dish was executed amazingly with unique and delicious flavor combinations. The cocktail menu is also excellent.

Kato Restaurant sets out to incorporate and elevate the foods/ingredients typical of Taiwanese cuisine. A read through the set tasting menu reveals a curated journey, with each course described not just by its key ingredients, but by its Taiwanese dish inspiration as well (written in pinyin). Even with this information, the savvy diner will likely still be surprised by the beautifully crafted courses that are served. While exploring new flavors, the food here manages to pay homage to the authentic flavors of Taiwan in subtle and interesting ways. Some stand-out examples of this, for me: - The essence of classic Taiwanese-style clams-with-basil is distilled into the sauce for a grilled fillet of Japanese thornyhead. - Traditional fish maw soup is transformed into a crab fat custard featuring fish maw and caviar. - Taiwanese beef noodle soup is represented by a generous slice of A5 wagyu, along with tender oxtail and a soup reduction as sauce. The beverage program spans an extensive wine collection, well-crafted cocktails (many featuring Asian liquors and ingredients), and a great amaro selection. Service was prompt, courteous, and well-coordinated among the staff. The progression from course to course almost seemed like a precisely choreographed dance, with empty plates whisked away promptly and new dishes placed in front of everyone simultaneously. Each course was presented with a detailed and personal introduction by a member of the staff, and the attention to detail persisted all the way through the end of the meal. Dining at Kato Restaurant was simultaneously a modern gastronomic journey and a nostalgic trip down my palate's memory lane. Kato solidly raises the bar for a 5-star establishment, and this place is undoubtedly more than deserving of its Michelin star.

I changed my flight to LA so I could dine at Kato - it was completely the correct life choice. A Taiwanese-inspired tasting menu that had familiar flavours combined with incredible ingredients and ingenuity. My favourite course was the egg custard with milk bread. I spent the most time savouring the dish of all nine. The desserts were unique in the best way. I also highly recommend getting the caviar and geoduck addition. Visit Kato yourself and experience the friendly service and the incredible savoury journey.