DTLA: New Southern Food at Preux & Proper

 

I checked out Preux and Proper for dineLA last week. I had meant to try Preux and Proper again after Chef Samuel Monsour came on board a couple of years ago. I knew of him when I went to Boston a few years ago when he worked at a bar called jm Curley but officially met him at a popup he did a couple of years back.

I loved that for dineLA, Preux and Proper basically was offering their entire menu. You got to pick an appetizer, a main, dessert and you get a glass of wine.

The four of us each got a different appetizer to share. I opted for the smoked beef  heart pastrami toast. I know my friends were a bit worried about the beef “heart” part but once they tried it, they were hooked.

 

The Dungeness crab hushpuppies were a little bit dry but nothing the charred poblano butter couldn’t fix. It also has a house bourbon-barrel aged green hot sauce!

I was very much intrigued by the living seaweed in the Ogo Caesar salad. And I loved that there were so many anchovies!

 

This may be the prettiest burrata presentation I’ve ever seen. I loved the fresh mustard flowers, toasted benne seeds, house tasso ham and muffuletta relish.

 

Besides the individual mains, there were a few large format dishes meant to be shared by two people. My friend and I decided to share the seafood gumbo. I could probably eat gumbo every day which is what I did when I was last in New Orleans. I LOVED this seafood gumbo. There were catfish, prawns, oysters, mussels and rice. Plus you get to top it with leeks.

I immediately liked the chicken fried pork belly but it slowly grew on the others. Was it the pomegranate glaze or the pineapple verde? Or could it be the blue corn crumble or pickled radishes? It was all of it!

The fried catfish was so tender! And despite being run up from the kitchen downstairs, it was steaming hot when it landed on the table. I also loved the fried pickles that came with the fish. Really great remoulade as well.

 

There are two desserts on offer so we got two of each of the beignets and cobblers. The beignets were awesome. The banana fosters dulce de leche went really well with the beautifully fried beignets.

But my favorite dessert was the blackberry ginger cobbler. The frozen house custard was amazing. I don’t normally eat more than a bite or two of dessert but found myself cleaning this bowl up.

I can’t wait to go back to Preux and Proper to try brunch but really, really hope they’ll consider opening for lunch soon. I’m so close to it and I want to get gumbo all the time!

Preux & Proper

840 S Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90014  —  (213) 896-0090

 

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