Let's hear it for the little guys.
Bon Appetit announced their annual list of America's Best New Restaurants 2016 this morning, and among the five LA restaurants nominated as semifinalists, Baroo made the final cut. Coming in at No. 5, the East Hollywood eatery joins the ranks of outstanding restaurants across the country lauded for their successful year in the industry.
There are heavyweights like Wildair in NYC and Lord Stanley in San Francisco, restaurants that have made consistent headlines throughout the year for their fine-dining cuisine and uber-cool vibe. But Baroo veers from the norm, a tiny, strip mall spot with 19 seats and jars of vegetables fermenting on shelves. When Baroo closed for a few weeks in the spring, it wasn't entirely clear if they would come back—there are only two people on staff—Kwang Uh and Matthew Kim—and the demand was overwhelming. But they returned from their break refreshed, rejuvenated and with more than a few new ideas—which will definitely come in handy with this new accolade.
The complete list of Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurants can be found here. If you haven't been to Baroo yet, will you be checking it out soon—or waiting for the crowds to subside? Let us know in the comments below!