Proof-Washington DC

In honor of spring and Cherry Blossom season, this post is from my recent visit to Washington D.C.

I LOVE DC.  I would move there in a heartbeat.  I would trade the lit up Capital building for the NYC skyline any day.  Sadly, a life in DC is not in my cards.  Instead, I get to enjoy visiting.  The DC food scene has heated up the last five years (finally).  On our recent visit, good friends spoiled us with a night out at Proof, located near the Verizon Center in Chinatown. 

Proof has a fair amount of outdoor seating, which will make this an excellent dinner choice for the next few months.  The menu also features an extensive charcuterie menu so Proof is also a great idea for after work (or before the game, or just because ;)) wine, meats and cheeses.

Our server provided us with clever magnified lights which were necessary to read the menu in the dimly lit dining room.  The modern decor (from what I could see of it) incorporated wine bottles for walling off sections of the restaurant.  Needless to say, I was sold from the moment I saw the wine bottle walls.

Proof offers an extensive wine list but I had a hankering for the Hall Cab we tried to order at Arlington Club a few weeks ago so we decided to bring a bottle with us.  Like most restaurants in DC, Proof only charges a $25 corkage fee.  It seems like the restaurants in NYC that charge a $25 corkage fee are few and far between.

The service was attentive throughout the meal.  Actually, the service during our entire weekend in DC was attentive and warm.  I've been frustrated with the sub-par service in NYC lately and it was refreshing to be waited on by people that actually cared about their job (and did not insult you repeatedly during your meal).

Proof ran out of the entree I picked for the night, the only minor disappointment on an otherwise perfect night. Every dish we had was outstanding, and I'm hoping next year to return when the weather is nice enough to take advantage of their outdoor seating.

What to Eat:

Start with the Whipped Pipe's Dream Goat Cheese with Clover Honey. This is a perfect appetizer to share for the table.  I was not expecting a deconstructed flat bread but it tasted fabulous all the same.  The goat cheese was topped by rosemary, thyme, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.  While the goat cheese may look like an unappetizing blob in this picture, I guarantee that you will savor every bite.

The other standout appetizer of the night was the Warm Duck Confit with Scallion Hush Puppies.  The picture does not do this appetizer justice.  Not even close.  The appetizer is topped with pickled mushrooms and a salsa verde, which I quickly brushed to the side because I wanted to get to why I ordered this.  I enjoyed the contrast of the crispy skin with the tender duck meat.  The duck confit was only bested by scallion hush puppies, a lightly fried corn bread and scallion mixture.  I guess Proof does this as an appetizer because it may be too heavy as an entree.  But I could have handled an entree size (my stomach that is, arteries, maybe not so much).

For dessert, order the Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake with vanilla ice cream.  I usually order a sticky toffee pudding cake when I see it on a menu because it is my favorite non-chocolate dessert.  I was a bit skeptical when the dessert arrived because it had a strange looking wafer on top but looks are deceiving. Proof has hands down the best Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake I've ever had.   The moist cake, mixed with slices of almonds, laid on a bed off melted toffee.  Mitch usually only has a bite or two of whatever dessert I order and leaves the rest for me to devour.  But Proof's sticky toffee pudding cake was so good, he ate half (upsetting the delicate balance in our relationship that is controlled by my unrelenting sweet tooth), the nerve ;)

Looking for a good foodie destination near NYC (and maybe some sightseeing)?  Proof should be your first dining stop in DC,

Your foodie friend