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.
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.
Dinner was an absolute experience. The tasting menu was one of the best we ever had and the staff was super attentive. We were briefly looking at the ceiling and the waiter came by asking if we wanted to turn the AC down. One of our friends also had a dairy allergy and made sure her meal was dairy free.Overall, it was a fantastic meal and the experience was second to none. Highly recommend to anyone to go there.
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.
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.
So many high end tasting menus are a lazy hodgepodge of Japanese ingredients and French technique in a vauge fusion mess. Not here.Spot on execution that really nails Taiwanese/Chinese flavors that are unusual to find in this format. The menu has gotten a little more conventional in progression and presentation since they moved locations (which was literally last week), but it's hard to call that a fault when the food tastes this good.
Our dinner at Kato was a delightful gustative experience. First and last dishes were incredible: uni on crispy Parmesan and last one was a dessert made with spéculos, mascarpone and tapioca balls similar as mocchis ?Oh and I almost forgot the buttermilk brioche with the avocado butter ???
Exceptional; heart-warming Taiwanese cuisine with a touch of French expertise. Worthy of a trip :)
Keep in mind this review is based on the expectiations I have for a one Michelin star restaurant: Food is great--some dishes knock it out of the park, but for this price, I would expect all dishes to be stellar. The outdoor dining experience is of, course, better than average but could use improvement--the patio flooring was unstable and as a result, it sunk every time a server walked by my seat. The service is a little rough around the edges, empty bottles not cleared, drinks not poured, dull knives, etc. I would go again for the food, but I would try indoor dining next time.
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.