Crunch, chill. Nobody is saying it’s an actual “nefarious plot” and nobody is conveying hate for restaurant workers. You’re mischaracterizing things.
The payment summary is curious.
For one, and correct me if I’m wrong, but the calculated tax on the reservation summary is 9.0%…but the applicable sales tax for LA city and county is actually more - 9.5% - according to the CDTFA. Maybe they actually assess the additional 0.5% later, or maybe there’s something I’m missing.
The gratuity is just based on the subtotal and is not taxable because even if it is added by default, there is an ability to add a custom amount (including, probably, no gratuity). That the gratuity is by default but technically optional is probably why @PorkyBelly clarified
and rightly so. Fine to question. It is being treated differently for accounting / tax purposes than the service charge. Maybe that’s OpenTable’s doing, maybe it’s Kato’s doing, maybe it’s an oversight by either of them. We don’t know if it’s intentional or not.
It’s not unusual for private room or special menus / special arrangements / parties to add or suggest tips. But not all do, and I believe it’s a bit rarer when there’s already a service charge added. From what I’ve seen, some just add a tip line at the end, but that’s a little different than adding it in by default.
and @TheCookie seems to be playfully referencing a meme on this board for issues that can turn hot-button quickly.
“Threat or menace” is a question asked, for example, when a thread gets derailed by someone getting super worked up over the difficulty of reservations.
This was my exact order a month ago. The tuna dish is a nice add to the bar menu. Youtiao is always a must order, but kind of yikes at the price these days
got to preview a new dish coming soon to the alc bar menu, taiwanese hot quail, and it was outstanding. reminded me of nightshade’s szechuan hot quail, but i thought this was more balanced in terms of spicing, didn’t even need the side of ranch. the skin was crispy, meat perfectly cooked and juicy, and i couldn’t stop eating the milk bread underneath even though i was banging hayato afterwards.
A wonderful night at Kato. We only sprung for the youtiao supplement and not both but a perfect meal with what I consider the best hospitality of any restaurant. New dishes, especially the sticky rice porridge, were bangers.
Cocktails still slap and the quail set for a main was incredible. Good to see some staples (like the fish Maw custard) stick around but a near full refresh on the other dishes to keep things exciting.
I look forward to my yearly visit here so much and they over deliver every time. Can’t wait for another special occasion to come back.
I do wish a rice dish was still part of it (although my wife was super full) to round things out but I’m nitpicking. I still think it’s the best/most fun restaurant in LA
