775 G St. NW
202/737-7663
www.proofdc.com

HOURS: Lunch Tues.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.,
dinner Mon.-Thurs. 5:30-10:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5:30-11 p.m.,
Sun. 5:30-9:30 p.m.

COST: Most entrées more than $20

Proof is a wine bar that delivers on its food and whose cuisine is not limited to the cheese plates that guests can build from a selection of 20 dairy, goat, and blue varieties or the charcuterie.

In this restaurant, on the first floor of a nondescript office building, chef and co-owner Haider Karoum has created a menu that draws heavily on Mediterranean flavors with a bit of Asian thrown in—Karoum helmed Asia Nora, a now-closed DC restaurant.

A Peking duck breast is served with a pomegranate emulsion and sweet potato puree; tuna tartare and hamachi crudo are as popular as the gnocchi and pork ragout.

Proof has more than 40 wines by the glass that can be ordered in 2-, 6-, and 8-ounce pours.

This restaurant is trendy and usually low-key, but with the Verizon Center just down the street, it’s wise to check out the venue’s schedule, as the place fills up with boisterous fans after a game or concert.