24

Moon Rabbit

Washington DC

Cutting-edge Vietnamese dishes in tune with the seasons

Short history: In celebration of his Vietnamese heritage and Cajun upbringing, chef-owner Kevin Tien opened a rebooted Moon Rabbit in downtown DC in 2024. The acclaimed restaurant had been situated inside the InterContinental Hotel on DC's waterfront since 2020, but the hotel shuttered the restaurant in 2023. The surprise closure paved the way for Moon Rabbit's triumphant rebirth less than eight months later.

What's cooking? Tien's modern Vietnamese cuisine centres on seasonal ingredients prepared with precision, taking diners on a culinary journey from land to sea. Highlights include the mochi beignet and a dish made with Szechuan-spiced snapper, pepper, plantain, herbed freekeh and charred caulilini. Desserts also shine, notably the green curry sponge cake with avocado sorbet, soursop mousse, fish sauce caramel and finger lime.

Say more about the chef: Born into a military family in Galveston, Texas and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana, Tien made his name in DC with Himitsu, the 24-seat, Japanese-inspired restaurant he helped open in 2016. Further afield, Tien's culinary skills have taken him around the world. In 2023, the US Department of State recruited Tien to join its now-closed American Culinary Corps, a cadre of more than 80 American chefs who cooked at programmes and functions in the US and across the globe. Among his most impressive guests is Kamala Harris – Tien cooked for her on more than one occasion during her tenure as vice president.

Honours galore: Tien isn't the only creative force at Moon Rabbit with culinary accolades. Bar director Thi Nguyen was the winner of the 2024 Michelin Guide Washington DC's Exceptional Cocktails Award for crafting a cocktail programme that amplifies Vietnamese flavours; and pastry chef Susan Bae was the winner of the first North America's Best Pastry Chef Award in 2025.

Contact