Kevin Tien has always worn his culinary heart on his sleeve. At Petworth’s buzzy hotspot Himitsu, the chef showcased Japanese-inspired fare accented with Southern influences, nods to the kitchens where he learned to cook, and his Louisiana roots. His next restaurant, the critically acclaimed Emilie’s on Capitol Hill, offered a sprawling tribute to the 33-year-old’s favorite culinary traditions across the country and beyond its borders. His newest venture, Moon Rabbit, a modern Vietnamese restaurant on the Southwest waterfront, gives diners a deep dive into his most personal cooking yet.
Despite the many disruptions and downsides of the pandemic, it had an unexpected upside for the award-winning chef, who made Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs list in 2018. Tien began exploring his Vietnamese roots as a way of staying connected to his family, especially his mother and grandmother.
“It’s not something we ever talked about a lot, because everyone is always looking towards the future,” he says. “Being a first generation Vietnamese-American, my family has always pushed me to be more American. I was trying so hard to be American, I lost touch with what it means to be Vietnamese.”
Moon Rabbit reconnects him to his culinary heritage, while he works to expand his knowledge of it. Several dishes were inspired by Tien’s childhood. There was always a pot of congee — a simple porridge of rice, chicken, water, and ginger — on the stove. His updated version, chao cua, is built with lobster-shrimp stock and comes topped with gumbo dotted with local crab, pickled and charred okra, and puffed rice, the latter a nod to his time living in New Orleans.
When Tien’s family was celebrating a special occasion, they would eat bo luc lac, known colloquially as shaking beef. His stepped-up take on the Vietnamese stir-fry is made with dry-aged ribeye with sauce made with white, green, and Szechuan peppercorns.
He got feedback on his interpretations from his mother and grandmother, who were the first diners in Moon Rabbit before opening. It was the first time either of them ate at one of his restaurants. Of course, they had strong feelings. “It doesn’t matter how good it is,” Tien says. “They always have their motherly and grandmotherly opinions. But they were very proud. My grandmother cried a lot and I’ve never seen her cry.”
The tight menu features other dishes not grounded in his upbringing, such as fried quail with drop biscuits and chili honey, and kombu cured scallop crudo. Right now there is only one dessert: condensed milk flan. Sweet options will increase soon when pastry chef Susan Bae, formerly of the Fairmont Hotel, joins the team. Tien expects all the initial offerings will evolve and expand “as I continue to have conversations with my mom and grandma, and learn about my family and myself.”
The restaurant takes over the space inside the InterContinental hotel on The Wharf previously occupied by Kwame Onwuachi’s stirring homage to the African diaspora, Kith/Kin, which propelled him to win the James Beard award for Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2019. Onwuachi resigned from his chef position this July, ending the restaurant concept. Meanwhile, Kith/Kin’s rising star pastry chef Paola Velez has moved over to Compass Rose and Maydan.
Auspiciously, Moon Rabbit opened under a full moon on Halloween night. The 3,500 square foot space hasn’t changed; only the accents are different. Tien chose new plateware and brought in some greenery, including potted fishtail palms, popular in Southeast Asia and a homage to his grandmother’s fondness for plants.
“We asked ourselves, ‘What can we do to make the space feel like our own without busting our budget?’” says Tien, who also wants guests’ attention to stay focused on the food.
The eatery’s name comes from a popular character in many Asian cultures, who people believe can be seen with a mortar and pestle on the near side of the moon. In one Buddist fable, the moon rabbit offers to sacrifice itself to feed a beggar, who is actually a god in disguise. The creature symbolizes selflessness and virtue, traits Tien felt were fitting during the pandemic. “Restaurants are trying so hard to support their staff and give back to the community,” he says.
Moon Rabbit is only open for in-person dinner service, though Tien is working to make takeout available soon. The restaurant used to seat around 150 diners, but now there is room for only 50 guests to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols, which also include mandatory mask use when not eating or drinking, socially distanced service, and contactless payment.
Despite the restrictions and regulations, Tien is optimistic. “I feel like this is me just getting started,” he says. “It feels very refreshing. The potential is so high. The moon is the limit — to be cheesy.”
Moon Rabbit is located at 801 Wharf St. SW. Hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; Thurs-Sun 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
