To celebrate the opening of its new Georgetown boutique, trendsetting luggage brand Away is collaborating with chef Kevin Tien of Moon Rabbit and Hot Lola’s on an exclusive Viet Cajun inspired meal through Table 22, which leans in to Tien’s Vietnamese heritage and Louisiana upbringing. A limited number of dinners ($120 for two people) are available to order online for pickup on Friday, Oct. 13, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Bryant St. Market.
Dishes in “Kevin’s Trip Home” include five-spice chicken liver mousse to schmear on a sourdough boule (there’s also whipped curry butter), lemongrass-accented spicy crawfish etouffee on jasmine rice, boudin balls with bonito aioli, and Vietnamese coffee banana pudding. The heat and eat meal is advertised to feed two, but I felt it was enough food to comfortably feed four. Another bonus: The meal arrives in a swish Away tote.
The unconventional collab almost didn’t happen.
“At first, I didn’t know what I could bring to the table for them because we are such different industries,” says Tien. “But then I started thinking about how my restaurants have been destination restaurants and the food has always been really inspired by where I grew up. That’s when the lightbulb went off in my head. This sounds cheesy, but when you go to my restaurant it’s like traveling, because you’re there to have an experience and be brought to a place where I’m telling a story of modern Vietnamese food.”
It didn’t hurt that Tien was a longtime Away admirer. He’s been traveling a lot over the past year, taking his new baby to see the grandparents, participating in dinners, and attending Taylor Swift concerts. “I realized I needed something more than my JanSport backpack and Adidas gym bag,” he says. “So, I got Away’s green carry-on bag—I don’t like checking bags, because I’m paranoid I’m going to lose them—and a burgundy tote bag.”
He also has a lot happening here on the home front. Tien is on track to reopen Moon Rabbit in a new home in Penn Quarter at the end of the year. Coming sooner is Doki Doki, his Asian American barbeque joint in the Bryant St. Market in Edgewood, which he plans to open this weekend (watch their Instagram account for further details). Expect his version of a McRib, which he previewed at a recent pop-up at Hill East Burger, a breakfast sandwich with lemongrass accented pork sausage patty, egg, and cheese on a sourdough English muffin, and a mapo tofu breakfast burrito.
Tien will continue to offer monthly meals through Table 22, which are different each time and unique to the supper club. Meals start at $120 for two with the option to add wine; see their delivery range here.
