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Proof, Capital One Arena, Chef George Rodrigues Replaces Austin Fausett, Who Replaced Ben Schramm, Who Replaced Haidar Kharoum, Etc. - Closed Feb 2, 2019


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First ever post to dr.com on, why not, Proof, where a group of us went tonight for the first time despite it being open over a year now. Have lived in DC for years and, while pretty active on restaurant visitation, was admittedly remiss in not getting here sooner.

Real quickly on dr.com: wow! this is a great board. read the entire proof string back to pre-open last spring and there was so much more useful, substantive info than I've seen anywhere else. So big thumbs up for the blog/board based only on using it for this one visit so far. I'm sure noone reading this needed to be told that!

Anyway, Proof. Having read everything in advance and having gotten prods from foodie friends for months, we went in with high (correctly set?) expectations.

Overall: everything everyone has raved about was evident though we didn't have the experience that I'm sure is more typical. And, big caveat in full disclosure: when we booked, we were told the earliest table available for tonight (Sunday) was 8 due to a Coldplay concert at MCI. So, we got there just as the Coldplayers were clearing out.

Our waiter was nice but seemed a bit exhausted and checked out. He let us know the restaurant had been "slammed" thanks to the concert. On the one hand totally understandable but, on the other, Proof is right next to MCI so this must be something they're used to by now? Waited a long time to order despite the restaurant (or at least the patio) being more empty than full with the concert underway. Waiter delivered the check before coffees we'd ordered and then forgot to bring an espresso at the end. Those very small things but put it all together and I'd have to call the service somewhat disapppointing given everything we'd read. I'll check to make sure there's not a big event at MCI next time we try it but...should we have to? Not sure.

We were told at the outset that they were out of several things including:

- gnocchi (tragic: I was totally primed to order this and compare to Palena, the best in DC so far in my book)

- bread (c'mon!? out of bread for the table? at 8pm? I know, I know. Coldplay...)

- the chocolate cake (yep, the dessert we'd decided to order before arriving...sigh)

- 3-4 other things that didn't impact us as much since they weren't on the brain as much as the things above

So, dinner, starting with starters:

- tuna tartare: a friend we ran into in the bar on arrival recommended this to us and it was very good. Maybe a bit too peppery but that's splitting hairs and not everyone at my table would agree. thought the tuna tartare at the defunct Galileo was better but this is probably as good as we've had in DC otherwise. it was a generous portion at $14 and layered between two dark green nacho things that I think were...seaweed? Whatever it was was really good.

- meatballs: again very good and different from others we like in DC (e.g., Dino) with delicate but delicious goat cheese raviolis

- wagyu carpaccio: didn't try it myself but everyone else at the table seemed to really enjoy it. One person thought it, like the tuna, maybe a bit too peppered. Perhaps a different chef in the kitchen since a Sunday with a heavier hand on the pepper?

- heirloom tomato salad: this is on the menu of every better restaurant in the area now since they're in season. This one, at $10, was a great value in my view. Very generous pile of perfect tomato wedges/slices lightly seasoned and with a light reggiano sprinkling.

Mains:

- sablefish: really good and the winner at our table after an informal poll. But, you know what? I had the black cod at Rasika just a few days ago and thought this very similar in quality and taste. Doesn't diminish it at all. Just putting it in context.

- halibut: good. enjoyed. didn't earn raves but not sure why.

- salmon: two of us ordered this and, while they did finish it, it was a bit disappointing. Slightly overcooked and just less interesting than other choices we made. To be fair on this, the waiter did tell us they routinely prepare it medium versus rare. And, I imagine we could have requested it rare, which we didn't do, opting to go with the standard preparation.

- side of broccoli: simple but surprisingly good and popular with our group

We didn't really partake of the wine due to the fact that we'd already had quite a lot today at lunch but the one glass of Malbec I ordered was good. I know Malbecs a bit, didn't recognize this vineyard but did enjoy it.

We never saw a trolley of any kind and, at no time, did anyone approach to talk with us about the wine or the cheeses. Not sure they normally would on the patio where we were and we certainly did see the lists of both in the different menus. next time. big part of the proof experience I know that we won't skip again.

We experienced enough to recognize and validate many of the things so many have raved about and to guarantee a return trip to see if we can get the full experience that fell a bit short this time. And I used to like Coldplay! :-)

-

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Re: the bread. Are you talking about a bread basket for the table? If so, Proof doesn't offer one, instead featuring housemade crackers.

Oh, and the updated wagyu sashimi preparation does feature sriracha. I had it Saturday and loved it (then again, I love spice).

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it was our first time there so we weren't sure what the norm on bread was. the waiter did explain the housemade crackers (think he used a different term but can't remember). you'd have been in good company at my table on the wagyu carpaccio!

Re: the bread. Are you talking about a bread basket for the table? If so, Proof doesn't offer one, instead featuring housemade crackers.

Oh, and the updated wagyu sashimi preparation does feature sriracha. I had it Saturday and loved it (then again, I love spice).

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Had a very nice meal at Proof last night. Nothing on the "entrees" section really jumped off the page to us, so my wife and I got the sweetbread pate, followed by three courses of appetizers and some cheese. Particular highlights were the beef carpaccio with hoisin/sriracha glaze (which paired absolutely beautifully with the JC Cellars Rousanne Marsannne), the chilled corn soup and the tuna tartare. Service was fantastic again as well. This really is one of my favorite places right now.

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Rounding out a celebratory weekend, I got to try out the tasting menu at Proof, which was quite a lot of tastes for a first impression. I was very excited to be able to order the tasting menu - because I don't eat shellfish, most set menus aren't worth it, since I'd be shut out of at least one course.

I enjoyed the whole experience, which isn't surprising because I'm a sucker for fall/winter flavors. Here are some impressions:

Swordfish Toro with Yuzu, Jalapeño & Young Ginger - the pool of sauce was bright and tart, and everything tasted...fine, but it turns out that I simply prefer my meatier fishes raw. The swordfish was lightly seared, with a very red inside, but the texture was off to me, I think because I've become so accustomed to the sashimi texture. Very good, though, and the least traditional preparation or "fall"-tasting of our dishes.

Spinach & Ricotta Gnudi with Maitake Mushrooms & Pumpkin Emulsion- the meal could have stopped here, repeating ad infinitum, and I would have been very happy. These extra-cheese stuffed gnocchi-relatives were so, So, SO good - pillowy and chewy, and soaking up the luxurious sauce. For this course I was really missing a more soppy bread (though I liked the crackers), because I wanted to experience every drop on my plate!

Crispy Wild Striped Bass with Matsutake Mushrooms & Madeira Jus- surprisingly not interesting, even though mushrooms and madiera are usually my favorite combination. It was good, but ordinary after the mysteriously perfect alchemy of the previous course.

Seared Pekin Duck Breast with Foie Gras, Grilled Scallions & Pomegranate- great combination of elements! The pomegranate sauce was richly tart, there were crunchy hazel?nuts scattered about the plate, and the duck and foie gras were perfectly cooked. Taken all together, they formed a wonderful bite of well-marrying textures and flavors.

Selection of Artisanal Cheeses with Accoutrements- a cow, a sheep, and a blue. I didn't catch any more specifics, but enjoyed watching the cheese queen working in her little "cheese shop" space all night. They were all good, but what stood out was the little pot of raw honey that accompanied the board. It was fantastic, and drizzled well over everything.

Warm Apple Shortcake with Black Walnut Ice Cream- not too sweet, and a nice ending to the evening!

The space is sparely clubby, with lots of heavy wood and walls of wine and the lighting is kept very, very dark. I was glad I already knew what we were going to order, because it was difficult to read the menu. The service was cheery, a tad slow, and extremely nice - I had to run a gauntlet of birthday well-wishes on our way out! :lol: I hope to be back soon to try a few more of the dishes that caught my eye.

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I had meant to post the other day but it slipped my mind. Proof is currently running a lunch special where they offer one of 7 different entrees (including Wagyu Cheese Steak, a Shrimp Burger, a Hanger Steak Salad, and a Portobello Panini amongst others I do not remember) along with a glass of either red or white wine for $12. Quite the deal considering that each of those dishes approach that price by themselves and the generous bartending staff were definitely not measuring their pours... :lol:

It's been too long since I have been here for a proper dinner, the menu above sounds sublime.

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I had meant to post the other day but it slipped my mind. Proof is currently running a lunch special where they offer one of 7 different entrees (including Wagyu Cheese Steak, a Shrimp Burger, a Hanger Steak Salad, and a Portobello Panini amongst others I do not remember) along with a glass of either red or white wine for $12. Quite the deal considering that each of those dishes approach that price by themselves and the generous bartending staff were definitely not measuring their pours... :lol:

It's a steal. Finally made it for lunch today, having been on my list since the press release came out, and the roast pork panini was a steal at $12. Juicy flavorful pork, nice spicy slaw, crispy panini crust, all well executed and totally harmonious. Throw in a glass of unobjectionable red wine and that's lunch.

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It's a steal. Finally made it for lunch today, having been on my list since the press release came out, and the roast pork panini was a steal at $12. Juicy flavorful pork, nice spicy slaw, crispy panini crust, all well executed and totally harmonious. T

Totally agree. And this is just the latest of many really fantastic things this restaurant has going for it. A few others that I've neglected to note in posts after recent visits:

-interesting wine pairings to accompany the tasting menu, including champagne with the amuse

-a fabulous cheese program and a frommagier who can help with your selections - it's great to see them taking their cheese so seriously. Not just in what they offer, but how they offer it, how willing they are to discuss it, to pair something with it, etc.

-a fantastic staff that surely starts at the top, but seems to go all the way down. I've gotten great wine advice from bartenders, servers, not just from the well-known sommelier and other senior staff. I gather the staff studies wine, regions, grapes, etc and is occasionally quizzed

-and now an awesome lunch option in the bar area.

I'm going to have to get away from my desk at lunch more often...

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I took one of our friends there last night and had the tasting menu & wine pairing. Food standouts were the veloute with scallop, the Pekin duck with grilled scallions and foie, and the excellent cheese course. All the wine pairing were superb; particularly the champagne and whatever red Seb poured* because the Rioja wasn't making me work hard enough. Service was very good, and Seb Zutant remains the DC wine director/sommelier most able to rock a waistcoat.

*I don't remember what it was, but it brought to mind this line: "oh my god, that's the funky shit"**

** Tell me what line that song is from, and I'll buy you TWO drinks.

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*I don't remember what it was, but it brought to mind this line: "oh my god, that's the funky shit"**

** Tell me what line that song is from, and I'll buy you TWO drinks.

Originally from the Beastie Boys' song "Root Down", and later sampled by the Prodigy for their song "Funky Shit."

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Originally from the Beastie Boys' song "Root Down", and later sampled by the Prodigy for their song "Funky Shit."

That's F'in impressive - if I had any balls I'd put it on our waiters' tee shirts.

And if you had any you'd print the line that precedes it on Root Down. :P

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That's F'in impressive - if I had any balls I'd put it on our waiters' tee shirts.

And if you had any you'd print the line that precedes it on Root Down. :D

The preceding line is: "Because I've got the flow where I grab my..." :P You going to the show on Monday?

I think "oh my god, that's the funky shit" would be perfect on a Proof t-shirt. I'd even buy one. :o You've got a very cool place there, Mark.

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Hahaha, I only remembered it as a sample from the Prodigy and had to look up the fact that it was a Beasties clip!

WOMP WOMP.

That's because you're not old, sweet pea.

I need to order cheese there a few more times, but Proof's cheese selection is on its way to surpassing Vidalia's, IMO.

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That's because you're not old, sweet pea.

I need to order cheese there a few more times, but Proof's cheese selection is on its way to surpassing Vidalia's, IMO.

Hey now, I was smack-dab in the Beasties target demo when "Ill Communication" came out. I was just too busy listening to Nirvana and Pearl Jam like a good adolescent of the early 90s. :P

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The preceding line is: "Because I've got the flow where I grab my..." :P You going to the show on Monday?

I think "oh my god, that's the funky shit" would be perfect on a Proof t-shirt. I'd even buy one. :D You've got a very cool place there, Mark.

Thank you very much Heather - we appreciate that .

No Beasties for me Monday. The great jazz vocalist, Melody Gardot, is playing at Proof that night. I will, however, get to see part of the Monday night's 930 club inaugural lineup when Citizen Cope warms up at Proof Monday afternoon.

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I will, however, get to see part of the Monday night's 930 club inaugural lineup when Citizen Cope warms up at Proof Monday afternoon.

Are you guys closed in the afternoon between lunch and dinner? I have a pre-inaugural reception on Monday at the Grand Hyatt until 2, and was looking for a place to kick back for an hour or two before heading back to the burbs...

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Are you guys closed in the afternoon between lunch and dinner? I have a pre-inaugural reception on Monday at the Grand Hyatt until 2, and was looking for a place to kick back for an hour or two before heading back to the burbs...

We are closed between lunch and dinner for a couple of hours - you would normally be fine having a drink b/t 2 and 3, but Monday we have a lunch buyout. Sorry Daniel.

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Many thanks to Proof for a wonderful evening last night. Alice Smith put on a soulful, powerful performance to cap the night (if you don't know Alice Smith, definitely check her out. She's an amazing singer, a really nice person as we learned when we chatted with her afterwards, and a DC native to boot).

The place was packed, of course, but service was impeccable - prompt, friendly, and with everyone who served us so knowledgeable about the wines. It was great. My wife and I ordered the chef's tasting menu, with the wine pairing. The menu consisted of:

warm blinis with creme fraiche and cuttlefish caviar

pumpkin soup with roasted pumpkin seeds and seared scallops

pork belly confit on top of a slaw of some sort

squid ink tagliateli with shrimp

seared duck breast with scallions and foie gras

a 3-cheese course

and the dessert was a shortbread with sauteed apples

The pumpkin soup was warm and rich and just perfect for the season. A lovely dish, with the roasted pumpkin seeds a really nice touch. The duck breast with the scallions and foie was an inspired combination of flavors, and maybe my favorite of the night, particularly with the wine pairing that went so well with it.

With these courses we somehow managed to knock back 8, yes 8, separate wines, all very generous pours. Standouts among the wines were the Colterenzio "Mantsch" Lagrein Alto Adige, a red from northern Italy and a great surprise, which paired wonderfully with the duck, and a 2005 Sauternes with the dessert from Chateau Doisy Daene that presented that perfect balance of sweet and bracing acidity that you love to have in a Sauternes. For me the only disappointment among the wines was a Domaine de la Bergerie 1997 Quarts du Chaume with the cheese course, which was all sweetness and lacked any counterpoint.

The shortbread dessert didn’t do anything for me, but with that single exception the food was fantastic, and with the wine, the service, the music, and the celebratory atmosphere, just a really special night we’ll remember for a long time.

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Thank you very much Heather - we appreciate that .

No Beasties for me Monday. The great jazz vocalist, Melody Gardot, is playing at Proof that night. I will, however, get to see part of the Monday night's 930 club inaugural lineup when Citizen Cope warms up at Proof Monday afternoon.

Shame you had to miss it - as it turns out they did Root Down at the beginning of their set. :P

(And technically, discussion of the Beasties is on topic since they name-check food, wine, and even chefs in the songs. So there.)

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I was looking forward to a lot of things during this weekend's visit to DC, and dinner at Proof with the girls was at the top of the list. As I expected, the evening was a great success. My main disappointment was not getting to catch up with Mark! Hope you're feeling better.

We started with a few items from the charcuterie list: the jamon serrano, the speck, and the housemade pate. I focused on the latter, and it was rich and incredibly flavorful. My friends enjoyed the meats as well. We also had two hot appetizers, the pumpkin gnocchi (with sage, spinach, and yummy yummy wild mushrooms) and the pork belly confit. The gnocchi was outstanding, as has been every other seasonal preparation of that dish. The pork belly was tender and flavorful, but the Asian slaw that accompanied it seemed to contain peanuts, so I couldn't really get into the dish as a whole (because I am allergic). I don't remember seeing peanuts in the menu description, as I don't think I would have ordered it if I had, but I certainly could have overlooked it. That's what wine does to ya. ;-)

We split two main courses, the seared scallops and the duck breast. The scallops, in addition to being perfectly cooked, were served with a delicious wasabi-onion emulsion that I would like to buy by the bottle. The duck breast was also impeccably cooked and had an amazing spicy crust. Both plates were practically licked clean. I would definitely order both again.

We ordered the new cookie plate for dessert, and we were pleasantly surprised by the wonderful fruitiness of the strawberry meringues. The salty oatmeal cookie was probably the table favorite, though I also liked the madelines and the chocolate chip cookie. The flavor of the ginger-molasses cookie was intense and would have been delicious at my holiday parties. I like the addition of this menu item, as it is a (seemingly) lighter option and great for sharing.

Our server was great and made some nice wine selections, and the atmosphere was buzzing as usual. I continue to think that prices are appropriate for the quality of the food and wine. Mark, you and your crew are doing an excellent job--so keep up the good work, and if you ever want to branch out into the Atlanta market, I'll be the first in line to invest. Thanks so much for an amazing evening!

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The houseguests who had stayed with us for the Inauguration long weekend wanted to take us to dinner last night, so I reserved a table at Proof. One of them is a wine aficionado with a cellar at home, and I thought she would enjoy the selection of wines. We had an extraordinary meal, and the staff were gracious and accomodating. Our server was quite knowledgable about the wine list and patiently helped our friend pick out a wine that met her requirements. She paid such careful attention to us, it was hard to believe she was waiting on multiple tables at the same time. She did a great job. We got some kind of a Spanish red wine, but I never saw the wine list and only saw the label briefly. It was something with similar characteristics to a Rioja.

Our friends split a grilled octopus first course, while I had the spicy little meatballs, while I loved. My husband got the flatbread and devoured it. For seconds, I had the duck and my husband had the hanger steak. They had the scallops (of which I got one--perfectly done) and the pork loin. We all completely cleaned our plates and then split the cookie plate for dessert. I thought the highlights of that were the salty oat cookie and the ginger. I really wanted to get some cheeses but decided I'd eaten enough. Walking past the cheese counter on the way to the restroom made it hard to stick to that resolution. I'll get cheese the next time around, though.

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Dragged my crowd- and chic-averse wife and grungy son (words I'd never before heard: "Dad, you could have asked me to wear something nicer than this") into Proof at the decidedly un-crowded and un-chic opening bell Saturday night. Unfortunately, we had to dine with a little more urgency than I would have liked, given a movie start time, but the staff responded well to our urgent cries of "NOW -- we need it now, goddammit" and we responded well to the food.

I didn't sample the kid's Mediterranean Flatbread, but it looked like something that should be sold by hippie chicks on the patio when the Dead show up in April -- and I mean that in a good way; all scrumptiously organic-looking and such-like. The caramel-y acorn squash salad delivered a tasty bit of internal warmth on a cold day, rich and sweet. And the massive tuna tartar was one of the best renditions of that restaurant staple I've ever eaten. It doesn't say lime on the menu but there seemed a hint of it along with the wasabi (that warmth again, though different) and tamari mounted on a crisped sheet of nori to distinctive and delicious effect. One of the two best in the city.... :P

The second course was dominated by the sablefish, simply one of the best fish dishes I've ever eaten, with the perfectly cooked bit of black cod doing most of the talking and the miso, buckwheat noodles and and baby bok choy chanting "amen" in the background. The roasted chicken did not grab us by the throat and demand attention but the glazed pork belly confit sure did and, with Mrs. B overwhelmed by the largish portion of tuna, I ended up getting a meat course to finish the meal.

We asked Sebastian to find a moderately-priced white that went with both pork belly and sablefish and he succeeded beyond our already high expectations with a wine whose name I won't reveal because he says they have only limited quantities and I want it the next time I go back.

OK, it was the Savennieres, a personally favorite of Mrs. B's and mine, at a ridiculous price.

Although Chef Karoum's time at Asia Nora remains evident, he borrows gleefully from pretty much everywhere without anything seem self-consiously fusion-ish, giving the meal a nice round-the-world feel.

I'm looking forward to another off-hours appearance.

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I finally got the chance to try Proof when a friend and I stopped by for some wine and food later Saturday night. Details below, or skip to the last paragraph for the summary. :P

We started off with glasses of wine from the exceptionally crowded bar (a Caps came had let out shortly before our arrival). I had the vouvray and my friend had the Touriga, both were delicious but I particularly loved mine. My minor complaint, I asked for a glass of Chenin Blanc, not noticing that there were two on the menu and the bartender automatically gave me the vouvray, which happened to be the one I wanted but also happened to be the more expensive. The bottle was also almost finished so she pulled it out of the automatic dispenser and dumped what was left into my glass. It was close to, but not a full 6 oz pour (easy enough to see with it standing right next to my friend's glass). Fine, I'll chalk it up to how busy the bar was.

After a surprisingly short wait given the crowd, we were seated at a table. I personally like the low lighting and enjoyed the atmosphere overall. Anyway, we started with the homemade pate and the bresaola. Both were good, but the pate was the clear winner. The shiraz our server recommended to me was good if you like that style. I don't anymore, so shame on me for going with her recommendation, but I wanted to give her a chance to see how she did. My friend got the Oregon pinot, which was good with the pate, but became overpowered if you added mustard or ate the bresaola with it.

We then shared two firsts . The pumpkin gnocchi were outstanding and were delicious with the grenache blanc (my own pairing although the server told me that it would have been the sommelier's recommendation). I felt the portion was quite substantial given how filling gnocchi are, but I could have ordered it again I liked it so much, especially when you got a bite with the non-portabella mushroom (I think it was hen of the woods).

The veal sweetbreads got a mixed response. We both enjoyed the dish, although my friend moreso. The thing is, the sweetbreads are served tossed in a hot wing type sauce, with a little blue cheese and a vinegary slaw. The waitress warned us that the dish was "a little spicy" and had a vinegar component. Unfortunately, and I am not a total wimp when it comes to spice, it was REALLY spicy and the spice stuck with you. I was glad we weren't moving onto seconds b/c I really felt like my palate was ruined at that point. We had smartly decided not to order wine with the dish, but I did ask the server what they would recommend if we wanted to do a pairing and it was coincidentally the vouvray I had start with and which my friend had ordered to have with the gnocchi. So he hung onto a bit of it and we both tasted it with the sweetbreads. Well I'll say this, it wasn't horrible with the dish, which was probably impressive given the situation, but had I wanted to do a pairing I would have been disappointed. We both agreed the smart thing to do is to just tell people to get a beer b/c you're gonna need it to counter the spice. All of that said, I really liked the dish and we both admired the chef for taking a bit of a risk. I just think the server should have been clearer about how spicy it was.

We finished off our evening with a full glass of red each. It took me a long time, and a lot of the crackers and yogurt dip they serve you at the beginning of the meal before I could actually taste it again, but I ended up with the petite sirah, which was quite pleasant. I say ended up b/c it was actually my friend's wine. I again went with the server's recommendation (based on what I had told her about my tastes) and got the Malbec. I actually didn't like it, which is surprising (there aren't many red wines I plain old don't like) - maybe the sweetbreads were still interfering - but my friend really liked it so we switched. Oh, and I can't remember which one, but one of our glasses of wine was a dollar more than listed on the menu - I assume they had raised the price without updating the menu, but we didn't feel it was worth asking.

All in all, I would say from what we were able to sample from the food and wine, we both agreed we could easily be enticed back for a full meal or the tasting menu. What I found faults were overall small, and almost entirely related to service. Not to say that our server wasn't incredibly friendly and attentive, she was both - I just think in the future I'll stick to asking to talk to the sommelier for wine recommendations, especially seeing what I read today about how great he is. I think had we just asked for him, I'd have virtually nothing negative to say. Although I do think if you're a wine bar and restaurant, your servers should be well educated regarding wine and pairings. Or if they're not, at least give them a cheat sheet with 2-3 recommendations per dish and let the customer then decide based on their tastes.

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The veal sweetbreads got a mixed response. We both enjoyed the dish, although my friend moreso. The thing is, the sweetbreads are served tossed in a hot wing type sauce, with a little blue cheese and a vinegary slaw. The waitress warned us that the dish was "a little spicy" and had a vinegar component. Unfortunately, and I am not a total wimp when it comes to spice, it was REALLY spicy and the spice stuck with you. I was glad we weren't moving onto seconds b/c I really felt like my palate was ruined at that point. We had smartly decided not to order wine with the dish, but I did ask the server what they would recommend if we wanted to do a pairing and it was coincidentally the vouvray I had start with and which my friend had ordered to have with the gnocchi. So he hung onto a bit of it and we both tasted it with the sweetbreads. Well I'll say this, it wasn't horrible with the dish, which was probably impressive given the situation, but had I wanted to do a pairing I would have been disappointed. We both agreed the smart thing to do is to just tell people to get a beer b/c you're gonna need it to counter the spice. All of that said, I really liked the dish and we both admired the chef for taking a bit of a risk. I just think the server should have been clearer about how spicy it was.
I've had that dish and I had a similar reaction -- though clever, it didn't work for me as the sweetbreads seemed lost in the sauce. The pairing they did with it when I had it as part of the tasting menu with wine pairings was a belgian beer, I think with cherry notes. It made sense, but I'd have preferred wine just because I always do and I don't typically care for fruity, belgian brews. If you and I could have traded places, we'd have both probably been pretty happy with what we ended up with!
...Although I do think if you're a wine bar and restaurant, your servers should be well educated regarding wine and pairings. Or if they're not, at least give them a cheat sheet with 2-3 recommendations per dish and let the customer then decide based on their tastes.
You know I think engaging Sebastian is really great and I have no idea who your server was, but I can tell you I've had a lot of different folks take care of me and talk to me about wines here and their staff as a whole is not lacking for education on their wines. I actually think they have one of the very best educated staffs in town. I know the folks at the bar are really quite familiar with their offerings. That's not to discount your experience, just to tell you that I think it is atypical.
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You know I think engaging Sebastian is really great and I have no idea who your server was, but I can tell you I've had a lot of different folks take care of me and talk to me about wines here and their staff as a whole is not lacking for education on their wines. I actually think they have one of the very best educated staffs in town. I know the folks at the bar are really quite familiar with their offerings. That's not to discount your experience, just to tell you that I think it is atypical.

Good to know, maybe she was just new. She did try - she had notes on the flavor components of each wine and she asked me what I liked and tried to put the two together. And I'll admit my expectations may be on the higher side, but I go back to this being a wine place just as much as a restaurant so I feel it's fair to have somewhat higher expectations of the staff. Anyway, overall I really enjoyed our experience and certainly nothing I complained about would keep me from going back.

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I am friend from choirgirl21's post and I largely agree with her. A few additional comments and perceptions:

Regarding the light pour on the vouvray: At the time, I wasn't angered at all. I've gotten more angry about it since. For a 12 dollar glass of wine, this shouldn't happen. At a place that has a fancy, deliberately noticeable high-tech pouring system, this can never happen. I'm hoping the answer is that the 6 ounce pour is typically more than 6 ounces. They serve 2/6/8.5 ounce pours. So maybe 6 is really a quarter of the bottle and 8.5 is really a third so the light pour actually made 6 ounces. Anyway, you simply cannot put down 2 glasses right next to each other that are obviously different volume. And they must have this problem at the bottom of every bottle, so I would think someone would have a solution. Of course no one wants the bottom of one bottle mixed with the top of a new one either. And we all know what most places do is to combine them after the shift or in the back, and I am happy they didn't do that here. So I am not sure what the solution would be, but regardless, it shouldn't happen at that price point.

Regarding the buffalo sweetbread, the waitress did explain that it was buffalo sauce (like a chicken wing), not just that it was "some spice and vinegar." That said, after we had finished, the waitress used the word Sriracha, which would have been handy knowledge beforehand. A nice pale ale with that would have been delicious. You simply can't drink enough volume of wine to aid with the spice and still drive home. But it's a neat idea and I really liked it. I could eat a half dozen while watching football with some Dale's.

Last--I'd rather have 1/3 as much bresaola for half the price, and be able to get a 3rd different type of charc at the same overall price. It was a huge mound of the bresaola. I'm not really complaining here, it was generous, as was the SLAB of pate.

I'm not exactly accentuating the positive here. Overall it was a great place and I will happily be back. I enjoyed every bite of food and I only have myself to blame for any wine missteps I took. I loved the decor and especially found the men's room sink intriguing. Although staring at a perfect nude butt while at the urinal was odd.

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You know I think engaging Sebastian is really great and I have no idea who your server was, but I can tell you I've had a lot of different folks take care of me and talk to me about wines here and their staff as a whole is not lacking for education on their wines. I actually think they have one of the very best educated staffs in town. I know the folks at the bar are really quite familiar with their offerings. That's not to discount your experience, just to tell you that I think it is atypical.

Oh and re: our server, she couldn't have been nicer or more attentive. She admitted she was having a mental off night. My guess is that she is rather new, and is employing "fake it til you know it" and filling in the gaps with consultations with the sommelier. Also, one of her recommendations (can't remember which one) didn't work for choirgirl but worked perfectly for me. And while I certainly have the better palate, that's not the point--the point is sometimes matches are in the eye of the beholder. Mouth of the betaster?

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Also, one of her recommendations (can't remember which one) didn't work for choirgirl but worked perfectly for me. And while I certainly have the better palate

This was probably the wine I had after my palate was ruined by large quantities of siracha. My "friend" here didn't have the same experience as me based on years of having a little pho with his siracha. Seriously, I believe it has become a competition b/w my male coworkers to see who can eat the reddest pho, while sweat streams down their faces and shouts of "more water" are heard throughout the restaurant, but I digress. :P

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I had a similar experience recently upon ordering "a sparkling rose" not realizing that there were three on the menu. I had glanced at it quickly and only saw one. The bartender picked the most expensive which I believe was $18 per glass. The issue was resolved, but I'll be more careful in the future.

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Can't believe we forgot to post about our recent meal here -- it was a great experience, from the joy of the champagne trolley to the fabulosity of the charcuterie to the delicious winter squash soup and tilefish I was somehow able to finish off for dinner. I don't know how we managed it, but I'm glad we did! Lovely meal all the way around -- it made us (almost) regret living in Arlington :P

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Had a great meal at proof last night. With a couple bottles of Gigondas, a charcuterie board, sweetbreads, tilefish and a cheese plate how can you go wrong? The sweetbreads in particular were fantastic. The spicy chili in combination with the blue cheese and bacon was pretty spectacular. This was my second time at Proof and I've thoroughly enjoyed it both times.

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A friend and I stopped by late last night for dinner. They were having a rather difficult night; the air conditioning was broken and it was quite muggy in the place. But it didn't really matter, because we started off with some surprisingly good bubbly from Virginia. That cooled us off nicely. I was lamenting the switch from the white bean puree to the Greek yogurt and herb dip initially, but it was really better for the weather too.

We started with the abalone ceviche and the roasted beet salad with goat cheese, carrots and a hazelnut vinaigrette. The abalone ceviche was absolutely delicious and cooling. There was just the right amount of lime juice as opposed to most places that douse their ceviche. With small chunks of avocado, it was a fantastic way to deal with the heat. As was the salad with the almost sweet beets and light salad.

Next up was the crispy soft shell crab, gnocchi with ramps and parmesan, and the duck breast with blackberry almond something. My friend ordered the duck, which was a lovely rare. I totally would have eaten his whole entree if he weren't paying. Crisp skin and a nice contrast with the nutty, fruity sauce. The crab was fantastic. The slaw is a nice, lightly pickled mix of carrot and cucumber with cilantro and a little bit of jalapeno. It would without a doubt make the very best banh mi ever if you slapped it between some really good crusty bread. The gnocchi was like my last experience really light and fantastic, but with the creamy parm and chanterelles it's a bit of a winter dish. It wasn't nearly as seared as I'd had before, which is a shame because I love that little bit of crispness on the outside. I'm not much of a wine rememberer, but the Sean Thackeray wine that I had was so good. A blend of all sorts of crazy things in the vein of Steve Edmunds Rocks & Gravel. It was just what I wanted.

I would talk more in detail about how I love the fluffy goat cheesecake with passionfruit puree, but I think I've already mentioned just how much I like it before. =D Thanks to Joe and Sebastian for doing some great pairings and making it a great meal.

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When a friend picked Zaytinya as the spot for our birthday dinner, it sounded okay. I hadn't been in a while, so was interested to see how it was. When I showed up at 6:00 I told the host that the entire party of four wouldn't be there until 7:00, but could I put our name in while we waited in the bar? "We can seat you at 9:30. If you want to come back to see me at 6:30 we may put your name on the list, and maybe we'll see."

Yeah, right. So I stayed at the bar for a really not-good "speciality" drink while the group gathered, at which point we promptly walked down the street to Proof.

GOOD DECISION.

Proof was full too, but the hostess offered to seat us outside and fired up the heaters for the chilly night. We started sharing the speck, chickpea flatbread, and three cheeses, and could not have been happier. The flatbread was especially nice and a different way to start a meal.

But the entrees--DAMN. I got tastes of everything (yay for birthdays!), and they each were impeccable--though I think I got the winner! I had the vadouvan-spiced halibut with pea shoots and rice. A more perfect combination of flavors and textures I can't imagine. The green-ness of the shoots, the softness of the fish with its crisp panko crust, the perfectly balanced sauce... It was gorgeous. I wanted another and another and another. Bites of the octopus, pork with risotto, and ramp soup made me an even happier girl.

And a very full gal, too, but we still had to order desserts (yay for birthdays!)--maybe just a bite? Ha. The chocolate bread pudding and sticky praline something were gone in under five minutes flat. We were still sopping up the sauce with our fingers when our server came to take the plates.

Our server, incidentally, had excellent timing, chose lovely wines to accompany my dishes, and was extremely gracious and friendly.

It was so good that I made a reservation for this weekend for me and Mom. I can't wait to go back!

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A note to the bar staff at Proof -

Please see the new Star Trek movie, and keep two things in mind when you watch it:

1) There is a bar scene in Iowa, with Kirk trying desperately to hit on Uhura. In between them is a guy, quietly drinking his drink. I'm that guy.

2) Dr. McKoy looks distressingly like Haidar.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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It was so good that I made a reservation for this weekend for me and Mom. I can't wait to go back!

And it was just as good the second time around! I tell ya, that vadouvan-spiced halibut is one of the best dishes I've had this year. No, I didn't get it again, but Mom did, and I had a bite. Phenomenal. (I got the miso sablefish, which was good, but no contest with the halibut.) The soft-shell crab and the rhubarb-strawberry shortcake were also BIG winners.

This place is going in my regular rotation. (Took me long enough!)

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