Earlier this week I had the pleasure of returning to Proof, this time not just for wine but for dinner. It being late August, the place was fairly crowded but not nearly as cramped as it was when I was there about a month ago. We were seated at a cozy table near the back of the space and next to a window looking out onto G Street. Defintely a little distracting but a nice spot in the venue for sure. The menu is quite seasonal and prices are certainly not cheap but not super pricey either. Appetizers average $8 a piece, entrees comes in around $24 for the most part and sides are around $7. I do, however, think that the wine list is a bit pricey. There are no options by the glass under $9.50, and I just don't think you need to spend almost $10 to get a good glass of wine. It was a rare somewhat cool evening in August, so I broke the white wine trend I have been on and ordered a Cote du Rhone which was a nice red blend and fairly light as well which I always enjoy in the beginning of a meal. My friend had a Syrah which was quite a bit bigger than what I was having, but very tasty indeed. To start, at Proof diners receive toasted flatbread with a side of very creamy goat cheese with chopped cilantro and olive oil. The combination may sound a bit different but it actually works well. The goat cheese is very smooth and the consistency is more like a tartar sauce than a soft cheese. The flavors are all savory and a bit tart, which certainly gets the taste buds primed for the meal as well. I apparently needed to fill up on veg as I was most tempted by a starter of french green beans, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, and also was in the mood for a side of bok choy. The green bean salad was really delicious - the green beans were tender but firm, the tomatoes gorgeous in their flavor and almost purple in color, and the Parmesan cheese was a nice nutty and rich flavor to end each bite with. The seasoning was good and the olive oil used was quite fruity and delicious. The bok choy was well-cooked and served with olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. A very simple preparation but one that works beautifully. My friend had roasted pork tenderloin served with a corn vegetable medley. The pork was cooked very well - a bit pink in the center and very tender - and the corn medley was actually quite sweet, which worked well with the flavor of the meat. I think there was a bit of sweet cream cooked in with the corn and red peppers. The presentation was nice as well - the pork was thickly sliced and arranged in a wheel sort of fashion atop a nice pile of the vegetable medley and the dish was garnished with chopped parsley. We finished with a cheese plate featuring a goat cheese, a blue and a Comte. The plate comes with thinly sliced and toasted raisin bread and golden raisins. A great way to end the meal for sure, and also a perfect pairing with more wine if you so desire. As to other food options, the menu offers several other salads to start as well as several different types of flatbread served with a variety of vegetables, fruits, cheeses and sauces. There is a sablefish entree which features a nice Asian preparation and miso sauce which looked very nice, and also a roast chicken which was appealing. I think we both enjoyed the dinner very much, but I do wish Proof would add a few inexpensive by the glass and bottle offerings to its wine list.
Proof
775 G Street in NW DC
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