Archive for the 'Fine Food and Dining' Category

10
Nov
19

Preux and Proper “The South’s Best Fried Chicken”

Sammy and Josh at the South City Fried Chicken Lunchtime Pop-up at Preux & Proper. All Photos ©Billy Bennight

We all gathered for an afternoon feast with some 20ish media folks, upstairs at Preux & Proper, to explore the “Southside Fried Chicken” Pop-up menu introducing the new Preux and Proper’s lunchtime menu option in a glorious way.

The new menu picks up its references from all the goodness from “Southside Fried Chicken” inside the charming atmosphere of Preux and Proper. It is the celebration of all things that are “Fried Chicken” and then some.

The Austin

Joshua Kopel and Samuel Monsour were both on hand to introduce, serve and share the food and their ideas about the “Southside Fried Chicken” menu. what soon followed a mixed dazzling blitzkrieg of marvelous chicken options. All of these options were served up with Preux and Propers Fried Pickles and Mac & Cheese. The sandwiches offered were the Austin, the Nashville, the Greenville, the New Orleans, and the Chapel Hill. The chicken plates and salads all delivered in glorious fashion along with the sandwiches that included Chicken & Waffles, Nashville Hot, Whole Fired Game Hen, Louisville Slugger, Crispy Dr. Pepper Wings, Chicken Bacon Cobb, and Pop’s Chop. It was a delirious hour and a half to eat all of these tantalizing takes on fried chicken and the race was on!

All of the food was exquisitely plated and was a treat for the eyes. The sandwiches were bigger than life and portioned to satiate the hungriest of souls. All these menu options were amazing but for me, I found the Austin, Nashville, Chapel Hill, Crispy Dr. Pepper Chicken Wings, the Chicken & Waffles, Whole Fired Game Hen and the Chicken Bacon Cobb salad eyeball rolling good.

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Sammy and Josh during quieter moments shared their processes of sustainability and locally sourced ingredients from family farms that are the backbone of Preux and Proper’s ethical process in meal preparation. Sammy has started an herb garden upstairs that can be easily accessed to optimally use fresh ingredients in his culinary creations. They dry and pickle their own fruit and vegetables. They make their own chicken bacon on-premises too. When Sammy spoke he referenced their approach to diminishing their carbon footprint. In the last 2 years, they have reduced the restaurant’s waste by 80% by composting by. Josh believes is an ethical workplace for the workers by offering discounts for their workers and families while making healthcare a priority for those who invest their time in Preux and Proper’s dreams. Josh expressed he and Sammy want a great restaurant but they want their restaurant to be a great place to work at too.

The feasting continued for with a few additional dishes to taste and I/we sampled a few of the cocktails we missed on the last tasting for a little mid-day relaxation. When Sammy feeds you he goes big and leftovers were abundance. We boxed the goodies to dine later and to carry on the “Feel Goods” into the next day from this exciting “Southside Fried Chicken” lunch menu curtesy of Preux and Proper. Now you can kick your lunch game up a notch or two to make DTLA lunch more of an event!

Chicken and Waffles at South City Fried Chicken Lunchtime Pop-up at Preux & Proper.

01
Oct
19

Sammy’s Cookout Every Thursday at Pruex & Proper

Preux & Proper located on Spring Street in a unique DTLA spot at the end of LA’s Art District and at the beginning of the Fashion District, between 8th and 9th, and is known for offering NOLA inspired dining in a beautiful and cozy atmosphere reminiscent of a space you’d find in the Frech Quarter. Preux and Proper’s already impressive menu is expanding into a slightly new direction by offering something particularly inspired and delicious. Every Thursday Preux & Proper will feature Sammy’s Cookout that will be taking an elevated approach home-style cooking in wondrous eye-popping ways. “Sammy’s Cookout” will be offered every Thursday from 4 pm to 10 pm for your dining pleasure.

Our preview of Sammy’s Cookout orchestrated by Executive chef Sammy Monsour started with a variety of cocktails to wet the whistle and soothe the soul with libations like the Alabama Slammer and the Texas Two-Timer. Before the dinner was served I settled at the bar in the upper room but not before I ran into Joshua Kopel who was handling a sizzling pan of Marie’s Mac & Cheese. It was apparent he already engaged in the spirit of the evening’s festivities. After our brief conversation, I settled at the center of the bar. It’s a nice long bar with a comfortable view of the whole upstairs area. There’s plenty of dining space that overlooks both Spring and Main Streets from the top. Due to Preux & Proper architecture, it’s easy to walk from side to side to view either street at your leisure and looking south you can see both streets merge into the Los Angeles cityscape. The waite staff was fun and friendly as I slid in to sip on two Alabama Slammers. These concoctions were marvelous and have a considerable punch to them.

As the upstairs had filled with foodie influencers and journalists, we were all encouraged to find a place for the feast that laid before us. I had joined Elise  Thompson and Bob Lee for a bit of chitchat at the bar before we settled but it so happened someone had taken a key seat where we couldn’t dine together at a table. So I was flying solo. After I settled I noticed somethings were already laid out on the table when I returned to my spot.

The watermelon and cucumber salad, the Spam fries with spicy pineapple ketchup and Ritz crackers with pepper jelly and pimento cheese spread were waiting there for the taking. All beckoning to us in their colorful splendor. The watermelon cucumber salad was fresh and intoxicating with their light crispy textures. Both major elements (watermelon and cucumber) mingled in with the Thai basil, mint, cilantro, macadamia-coconut crumbles, California extra virgin olive oil, lime & smoked sea salt with ecstatic results. The watermelon didn’t dominate and the other elements made it a fresh and lively surprise. It was delicious guilt-free moment in eating. I was most curious about the spam fries because I’m not a big spam fan. I found that they had the consistency of potato fries and the sweet dipping sauce was very complimentary. They were kind of addictive when mixing them with the spicy pineapple ketchup given their light crunchy exterior and soft spammy interior. The Ritz crackers with pepper jam and pimento cheese were snacky madness at it’s best.

The next course, we were presented with the Cast Iron Cornbread (Kentucky sorghum, cracked white pepper, butter), Baked Mac & Cheese (orecchiette pasta, scallions, turbodog ale, Cabot extra sharp cheddar), and Colorado lamb ribs (Jamaican jerk, central barbecue’s sweet heat wing sauce, Nate’s pickled watermelon rind) were followed by the masterfully made 18-hour bone-in pork shoulder with 5 regionally distinct barbecue sauces. The 18-hour bone-in pork shoulder sat before us was the culinary ne plus ultra of the evening with its luminance steamy presence dominating the center of our table and my foodie desires.

Continue reading ‘Sammy’s Cookout Every Thursday at Pruex & Proper’

01
Sep
19

The Backyard at Santa Monica’s Historic Chez Jay is Open Now!

The Backyard at Chez Jay! ©Billy Bennight

Recently, myself and a host of other food journalist and influencers were treated to a special preview of Chez Jay’s new “The Backyard” in Santa Monica. This designated historical site now has a handsome new addition to its historic location on Ocean Blvd. creating a friendly open space where people can dine, drink and mix. The new deck is a large partially-covered area filled with benches, tables, chairs with a conveniently located bar near the back corner of Chez Jay original structure. The area is rustic, friendly and eay to access. There’s a lounge area has a focal point in the center of comfortable sofas and a Persian rug covered with a whimsically positioned canopy of slotted sailcloth floating above. There’s a strategically located booth in the opposite corner or diagonally positioned from the bar in The Backyard. It’s situated in a way where you can nest with your friends and be chillin like a villain on the DL in anonymous comfort. The Backyard is an expansive and comfortable space with people in mind.

Continue reading ‘The Backyard at Santa Monica’s Historic Chez Jay is Open Now!’




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