Monday Bites - Proof: The Best Food in L.A. is Made by Koreans

Yang Soon (Father's Office, Lukshon), Roy Choi (Kogi Truck), Jason Kim (Forage) and now, 

Na Young Ma of Proof in Atwater Village - have gone where NOONE has gone before.  And L.A. and the world are better for it!  These chefs have taken concepts that have floated around for light years in our ever-expanding universe and constructed close to perfect realities with them right here in the galaxy that is Los Angeles.  Though many have copied, none have so far matched (I can only speak for L.A.), the excellence of these ventures and their impeccably delicious products.  Freshness, Beauty, Quality Ingredients, Accessible Low Key Vibe, Showing-Up-in-the-Right-Neighborhood (MINE!) at the right time..............changing the way that food will taste in L.A.  for years to come........

The Paradis family are late-comers to Proof, it opened in 2010 in a little neighborhood on the other side of the L.A. river from our own.  I had been ruminating for some time about the lack of excellent bakery products on our East-side of town, and how one such sort of bakery would make our little world P-E-R-F-E-C-T.  Somehow I missed the opening memo about Proof.  Just as well, I could get into some serious trouble there.  Just as well also, that I am not much of a morning person, because they sell out of their impeccably fresh products fairly well before 4 p.m. when they close.  

Shall I just say that their pain au chocolat and croissant could well be the best in town, eclipsing Bottega Louie's.  Who now needs the Bread Bar over near Beverly Hills (and by extension Maison Kayser in Paris!  Really, uh YES!?) because Proof's Financiers really are THE BUSINESS!  And the little loaves that they make their sandwiches on might as well be potato chips, they are so more-ish with their oil-crisped crust and sprinkle of salty crystals.   We buy as many loaves ALONE as we do sandwiches.  If we happen to achieve an armload on a Saturday afternoon it is guaranteed that they will not survive the fifteen minute drive back up our hill and home.  They are THAT GOOD!  (Marie's/Policastro bread that we consumed religiously for so many years in Hoboken: "Who ARE you? and, Sorry but, We Never REALLY CARED!!!!!!)

......now that we live nearly next-door to Proof's little salty sticks!"