Trouble With Toast

A few Sundays ago, the boyfriend and I were strolling through Georgetown, stimulating the economy (you’re welcome), when we noticed a new storefront next to Hook–The Tackle Box.  Much to our pleasant surprise, it was the grand opening of this affordable, casual seafood restaurant (which is styled to resemble a New England “lobster shack” in both appearance and culinary offerings). We were there around 4 or 4:30, and there was plenty of staff on hand–including Chef Barton Seaver.

For $13, you can get a “Maine Meal” that includes a fish, two sides, and a sauce. I opted for fried clams, mac ‘n cheese, and grilled asparagus, and I decided to try the lemon garlic aioli (even though I don’t usually put a lot of sauce on my seafood). The clams were huge and tasty, and the breading added great flavor without being heavy or overwhelming. The mac ‘n cheese was just average and could have used a little more cheese and seasoning. The grilled asparagus were awesome–they had a wonderful char, and they were crisp but tender. The aioli was nice, but, true to form, I didn’t use much of it. Boyfriend had the fried oysters, braised greens, and french fries, and he went with the tartar sauce. The oysters were big and juicy and bursting with flavor (I actually preferred them to my clams), and the greens were salty and delicious. The fries were seasoned well, though I would have preferred them to be a bit crisper. I didn’t try the tartar, but it was gone by the end of the meal, so it must have been good.

The place is really casual, with big communal picnic tables and paper/plastic plates and forks. The quality of ingredients was apparent, and I thought the quantity of food was pretty good for the money (for example, I think boyfriend got about 8-10 oysters with his meal, and I got 5 really nice stalks of asparagus with mine). We asked about their hours, and it looks like they’ll be open till 2 AM on the weekends–freakin’ smart, considering the lack of GOOD late-night dining in this city.  They don’t have a liquor license yet, but I believe the paperwork has been filed, so to speak.

We’ll definitely try to go back before the big move–there’s plenty of variety on the menu, so there were many things I didn’t get to try that I would like to (the clam chowder being number one on that list). I think this place is going to be crazy busy once the word gets out!

On Sunday morning, before heading to the frog exhibit at the National Geographic Museum (side note: the exhibit was small, but it was very well done and worth the trip), boyfriend and I brunched at The Grill from Ipanema for the first time. We are learning Portuguese, so he wanted to try out the food of the country we hope to visit very soon.

From the start, I was worried–we were the first customers of the day (though, to be fair, they had just opened), and we were only joined by two tables during the entirety of our meal.  I chalked it up to the fact that Brazilian food may not be the best hangover cure.  There is a brunch special of a salad, entree (from a smallish, predetermined list), glass of champagne, and dessert for $18.95, so Jason decided to go that route.  I didn’t want the salad or champagne, and none of the set-aside entrees really excited me, so I ordered a la carte.

We started with Coxinha de Galinha ($6.95), described as “Brazilian croquette stuffed with chicken and cheese, lightly breaded and fried, served with a spicy sauce on the side.”  They were awesome, with a crunchy, non-greasy shell and a soft, flavorful center.  Jason’s feijoada (the national dish of Brazil) was good, but it paled in comparison to home-cooked versions I’ve previously enjoyed.  The star of the show, however?  The Passaro Preto ($14.95), which was “Crispy fried chicken pieces on the bone marinated in olive oil, garlic, and basil, served with rice, black beans, collard greens, and farofa.”  Absolutely delicious–so juicy, not greasy at all (seriously, this place has a great fry cook), and totally infused with fabulous basil flavor.  The collards were wonderful; I’m sure they were blanched, as they had a bright green hue and a crispy bite, despite being cooked through and tender.  The rice and beans were pretty standard, and I could have lived without the farofa (a ground yucca concoction), but the chicken was just great.  My boyfriend, a proud Southern boy who knows about such things, said it might have been the best fried chicken he’s ever had.  High praise, indeed.

The “fried” banana was a nice sweet finish; it was caramelized well and served with what was either a very light ice cream or a very heavy whipped cream or mousse (we really couldn’t tell).  Service was good, portions were huge, and prices were pretty reasonable (though some of the seafood dishes gave me sticker shock during lunch hours, I would have gladly paid such sums for dinner).  The food is a little heavy for an everyday excursion, but we left satisfied and I’m sure we’ll be back.

Finally, FINALLY, I got to experience the magical wonderment that is Ray’s the Steaks! It’s rare (pun intended) that a restaurant can live up to the level of hype that surrounds this place, but in my book, RTS absolutely does. I would like to go back, oh, now-ish.

We arrived and were seated right at 5 PM last Saturday evening when they opened–having been prepared for the minimalist decor, I wasn’t as jarred by it as some first-timers have been. My group of four opted for a lovely and reasonably priced bottle of shiraz, and we decided to go with soups for appetizers–two crab bisques and two onion soups. The former was delicious–creamy and sweet, but also with some nice acidity, and LOADED with crabmeat. The latter was good, though a little less cheesy than I would prefer–BUT, the pieces of beefy goodness in the broth more than made up for that!

Two of my gal pals ordered filets, and they had great char to them. I ordered the cajun ribeye, which was cooked PERFECTLY (rare) and had amazing flavor. It was covered in sauteed garlic, which I was hesitant about at first, but it was so mellow and tender that it was actually a great compliment to the bold spice rub. The favorite cut of the night was the hanger steak–amazing! Now I understand why people talk about it like they do. The creamed spinach was one of the better versions I’ve had, and the mashed potatoes were also yummy.

For dessert, we had milk chocolate mousse (droooooool) and key lime pie. Now, I make a pretty mean key lime pie myself. But the crust on the RTS version? Unbelievable.  It made me want to better myself and stop buying the Keebler pre-made graham cracker version (don’t judge, I’m a busy girl).

With all of that food, two bottles of wine, and tip, it worked out to about $60 per person. SOOOOO incredibly reasonable, especially when you consider that we all departed with leftovers (which I, in a drunken haze, left under my chair at the bar we visited after dinner–for shame, I know, but at least a friend recovered the container and enjoyed the spoils the next day). Can’t wait for my next visit!

Last Friday night, I finally made it to Palena with the boyfriend, who knew that I wanted to eat there before moving and suggested it for our date night. We arrived at around 6:30 and were seated immediately in the cafe. Ordering drinks was easy (beer for boyfriend, chenin blanc for me), but food presented a much more difficult decision! As much as we were tempted to order from the main restaurant menu, we decided to stick with the cafe fare and then come back at a later date and sit in the dining room.

Boyfriend ordered the burger (rare), I ordered the black grouper (with potatoes, veggies, and a lemon sauce), and we split the fry plate. The burger was tasty, and the bun was maybe the best I’ve ever had, but unfortunately the meat came out closer to medium. Based on it being overcooked, boyfriend ranked the burger an 8 out of 10. Still pretty high marks–I can only imagine how good it would be if it was a little less done. The grouper was delicious and very light. And the fry plate? Oh. My. GAWD. The classic french fries were wonderfully crispy on the outside, yet still tender on the inside. The onion rings had the perfect thin coating, and the dauphine (spelling?) potatoes were unlike anything I’ve ever had before. I didn’t know what to think of the fried lemon slices at first, but they were really refreshing and unique.

Dessert was cannoli and the cookie platter. The former was very good, but the latter was just divine. Do they make them all in-house? Every item on the plate was delectable, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be a tie between the caramel (texture and flavor were divine) and the brittle (I think it was almond). Yummy in my tummy.

My biggest complaint about the evening is that I felt we were being rushed out. I know the cafe is busy, and maybe the brusqueness was just our server’s style, but it was a little unpleasant to feel like the clock was ticking. Next time I’ll make sure to do better on my part to request a more leisurely experience. Other than that, though, Palena was a hit–I hope to return before my departure.

FINALLY, after months of begging, my sister and boyfriend piled onto the S-bus and joined me for dinner at Colorado Kitchen–it was a couple of weeks ago and was the first visit for all of us. We were immediately charmed by the retro feel of the restaurant. Loved the vintage salt and pepper shakers!

The soup of the day (of which we were immediately provided a sample) was shellfish chowder, and it was fantastically flavorful (so much so that my sister ordered a bowl). We also started with an order of goat cheese fritters, which were served with big fat delicious asparagus. Yum!

Sister went for the fricasseed chicken leg with mushrooms and herbs, which was tender and tasty. It was listed under the “small plates” section of the menu, but with the soup, it was plenty of food.  Boyfriend had the pork chop, which was served with potato rosti and an AMAZING cranberry-granny smith chutney that I would buy in bulk if I could–and the chop itself was beautifully cooked. I had the roasted chicken with green beans and mashed potatoes, which was good (and had a nice crust) but paled in comparison to the rest of the food.

We each got a dessert–the baked apple thingy was good, the “King Ding” (Chef’s take on a ding dong) was great, and the sweet potato pie was spectacular.

Prices were reasonable, service was excellent, and a good time was had by all. In fact, boyfriend and I even signed up for the “Bangers and Beer” event, which takes place tonight and involves samples of many different sausages and brews. I also love the “adopt a soldier” concept–as a person who serves veterans for a living, I applaud the effort to bring a little bit of the comfort of home to our men and women overseas. Too bad I only got to experience this place two months before my move–darn me and my hesitation. Anyway, we really enjoyed ourselves, and we’ll definitely be back!

During my jaunt to Athens, Georgia, last week, I decided to treat myself to one nice solo dinner. Being a college town, the Classic City isn’t exactly chock-full of haute cuisine options. However, 5 & 10–a restaurant that I had visited once before, right after it opened, about eight years ago–garnered the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Restaurant of the Year” title in 2007. What better reason to give it another taste?

I decided to take my chances at the bar instead of securing a reservation, so I got there early (about 5:30) to make sure I could snag a stool. There were about 4-5 older folks at the bar already, and they looked to be regulars, so I immediately thought I’d be neglected by the bartender (bad to assume, I know, but past precedent weighs heavily, especially when you dine alone as much as I do). Not so–he was very attentive and knowledgeable. I asked for a glass of something white and dry, and he came up with a chenin blanc that was on the wine specials list for the day. Hit the spot.

I had a hard time deciding how to proceed food-wise. Nearly all of the entrees looked delicious, but I wanted to try as many varied things as possible. So, in the end, I had three appetizers and a dessert. First, I chose the cauliflower soup with butter poached Maine lobster and chive cream ($9). It was creamier and a little thinner than the version I recently had at Proof (which I loved), but the flavor was really good. The lobster didn’t really add or subtract from the dish, which causes me to conclude that chefs should just leave their cauliflower soups alone and stop adding seafood (Proof’s version had cornmeal-crusted fried oysters, and I thought they were superfluous as well).

Next, I ordered a half dozen oysters on the half-shell. Now, you may not think that’s the best dish by which to test a chef’s mettle, but as an oyster-lover, I pay great attention to the care that is taken in selecting and presenting raw bar items. In this case, the oysters (which were Kumamotos–small, but briny and somewhat sweet, and absolutely fantastic) were served with a homemade cocktail sauce and a mignonette, and it was a wonderful middle course (especially when paired with an insanely reasonably priced $6 glass of cava).

Earlier in the evening, the bartender had raved about the ahi tuna tartare with cornichons, shallots, lemon, parsley, ponzu, citrus salad, and haricots vert ($14). It sounded fabulous, so I decided to end my appetizer tour with the dish, and the presentation was certainly gorgeous (and the quality of the fish was top-notch). However, it seemed to me that the chef was rather heavy-handed with the ponzu, as the sauce often overpowered the flavor of the tuna (especially near the bottom of the mold, where the fish was sitting in a puddle of the liquid). I’ve had a lot of tuna tartare, and this one was certainly good, but I didn’t think it deserved all of the praise it received.

For dessert, I noticed a bourbon pecan pie on the specials menu, and I had to go for it–after all, I make a mean bourbon pecan pie myself, and I wanted to see how 5 & 10 would stack up against my baking prowess (intense sarcasm intended). Shockingly enough, I really and truly thought that my pecan pie was the superior dessert–this version was rather uninspiring. The Coca-Cola ice cream that came with the pie, however, was one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth. Amazing. And I don’t even like ice cream all that much.

Three appetizers, a dessert, two glasses of wine, a beer (a Victory Prima Pils that was on special), tax, and tip added up to $82. The service was very good, and the atmosphere was energetic and casual (except for the primped up sorority girls who got busted for having fake IDs–ah, college). But I walked out of the restaurant with a furrowed brow–was that REALLY the best restaurant in Atlanta?

I applaud the AJC’s food editors for realizing that there exist great culinary possibilities outside of the perimeter (or OTP, as we ATLiens would say–haha). However, it is hard for me to believe that there isn’t a single restaurant in the metro Atlanta area that can beat 5 & 10 in terms of a total dining experience. To say that the best restaurant in Atlanta resides in Athens (which is a good hour and a half outside the city) is, in my mind, to severely denigrate the many great dining options that one can find right downtown.

Wow, how is it possible that I’ve lived in DC for 3 years and yet NEVER set foot in Corduroy until last night? Based on Tuesday’s spectacular meal, I am kicking myself for not eating there sooner and more frequently.

I will definitely look forward to seeing the new digs–the current space is pretty bland. However, that is where my complaints end. The service was wonderful, and it was obvious that our waiter respects Chef Power and enjoys working for/with him. Our server even said that Restaurant Week had been great, which elicited a surprised reaction from my dining companion (she’s been to far too many restaurants whose staffs openly despise the promotion, I suppose).

For starters, I opted for the oysters on the half shell (a $3 upcharge). The apple-shallot mignonette sauce added just the right amount of acidity and flavor, and it still let the great briny taste of the oysters (which happened to be of the Island Creek variety) shine through. My gal pal had the parsnip soup, which had some chervil oil and a wonderful creamy texture. I believe she used the crusty bread to sop up every last morsel!

The main courses were truly outstanding, and probably our favorite part of the meal. I had the boneless lamb, cooked rare, with garlic creamed spinach. I am not usually a lamb fan, but the server highly recommended it, and I wasn’t disappointed at all. The meat was tender and flavorful and prepared absolutely perfectly. The creamed spinach was probably the best I’ve ever had–in most versions, all you can taste is the cream and/or the cheese, but Chef Power’s rendition had a wonderful spinach flavor and a lovely garlic punch. When I commented to the server about how tasty it was, he said, “The chef really knows how to use seasonings and make different flavors come through.” To say the least! My friend ordered the beef cheeks “osso bucco” style, and oh my gosh, it was delicious. To say that it was tender and flavorful would be the grossest of understatements. The meat was served atop a bed of white beans (can’t remember what variety) and with a small pile of thin string beans. Needless to say, the bread was once again required to soak up all of the wonderful sauces from our quickly-emptied plates.

My girlfriend wanted to skip dessert, but I convinced her to order one anyway so that I could sample two. We opted for the hazelnut bars and the chocolate tart with caramelized bananas. The former was obviously a riff on Michel Richard’s “kit kat” bar, and my friend really enjoyed it–though, to be honest, I liked the version I had at Central better (Corduroy’s version seemed much more dense). The latter was a tart of white chocolate that actually reminded me of a custard; it was served with chocolate ice cream and the bananas, and it was really really good. Once again, plates cleaned.

I can’t believe that, after splitting the check down the middle (I had a glass of sauvignon blanc and my friend had a pilsner) and adding a large tip, my tab was still only $50. Corduroy is an incredible Restaurant Week value, and I can’t wait to sample more of Chef Power’s creations once he settles into his new location. Bravo!

Over the past month or so, I’ve had a TON of interesting dining experiences.  Rather than format individual posts, I figured I’d slap my thoughts down right here.  For your reading pleasure, of course!

Proof (Friday 1/4)–Ah, I love this place!  The atmosphere is hip, the bar is hoppin’ (no wonder, with all of the great wine selections), and the food seems to get better every time I visit.  The boyfriend and I shared the charcuterie board (which was HUGE, and a great value at $28)–I’ve never had so much cured meat in one sitting!  Everything was really delicious, especially the house-made pate.  Next we shared the cauliflower soup with crispy oysters–the former was AMAZING, and it actually didn’t need the latter (which had a cornmeal batter that wasn’t to my liking).  The scallop entree was lovely and perfectly cooked, but the desserts really left us with smiles–the sticky toffee pudding cake was delectably sweet without being cloying, and the goat’s cheesecake was divine in both texture and flavor.  Combine all that with some very well-recommended wines, and you’ve got a wonderful evening!  I’m returning to Proof tonight, and I can’t wait–it’s such a great addition to the DC restaurant scene.

2 Amy’s (Tuesday 1/8)–My first visit, and it was tasty–my margherita extra pizza (tomato, buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and basil) was the table favorite–but the experience just didn’t live up to the fanaticism that surrounds the place.  Our server was excellent, and the wine and beer selections were really nice, but the pizzas (of which we ordered four) fell somewhat short of expectations.  The crust was alright–certainly not raw or significantly underdone, but definitely not as firm and crisp as I usually prefer.  The toppings were obviously of high quality, but their proportions seemed to be off–too much cheese on some, too little on others.  Sister had a special mushroom pizza, sister’s boyfriend had the calabrese pizza (tomato, onions, anchovy, mozzarella, parsley, and olives), and my boyfriend had the ripieno extra stuffed pizza (ricotta, grana, salami, prosciutto, pancetta, and tomato).  We all tasted everything, and the response was pretty consistent–good, but not mind-blowing.

Bistro 7 (Saturday, 1/12)–This is one of Philly’s famed BYOB restaurants, and my girlfriends and I really enjoyed ourselves.  The space was smaller than I anticipated, but that gave it a really homey, comfortable feel (though I have no idea how the chefs worked their magic in the teeny tiny kitchen).  Highlights of the meal were the duck mousse from the charcuterie plate (smooth and incredibly delicious), the gnocchi (light and pillowy, just the way they should be), and the duck legs (crispy, flavorful skin, and moist, tender meat).  The lentils that accompanied the duck were significantly undercooked, and the dessert was a total miss (it was a pear tart with savory, pepper-infused creme fraiche, and it just didn’t work for me), but the service was good and the fresh bread was wonderful.  Mostly, though, I enjoyed drinking a lovely bottle of Grgich Hills chardonnay without paying the ridiculous restaurant markup.

Creperie Beau Monde (Sunday 1/13)–Also in Philly, this place was recommended to me by my sister and her boyfriend.  All I can say is–YUM!  They had a zillion varieties of crepes, both savory and sweet, and I definitely would have tried more if my stomach had stretched a little farther.  I started with French onion soup, which was really well done–the perfect amount of cheese, and a hearty onion flavor.  Then, I had a mushroom crepe, which was done with buckwheat.  Very tasty.  The star of my breakfast, however, was the Nutella and banana dessert crepe.  Oh. My. GAWD.  I’ll go back just for that.

Bourbon (Wednesday 1/16)–I’ve had drinks at this Adams Morgan bar before, but I’ve never ordered food.  I opted for the ostrich burger, served rare, and a side of tater tots.  It was probably the best “bar food” I’ve ever had.  I’ve heard that Bourbon does a really good brunch–that’s definitely on my to-do list!

Vidalia (Saturday 1/19, Restaurant Week)–For appetizers, I opted for the veal tongue and my boyfriend got the bison carpaccio/tartare. The former was out of this world–incredibly tender and flavorful, it almost reminded me of a really good pupusa (due to the flatbread on which it was served and the cabbage “slaw”). The bison was also a winner, though I didn’t get much of it because it was wolfed down too fast! For entrees, I went for the rabbit saddle and boyfriend got the cassoulet. I’ve had rabbit before at Vidalia, and this version just didn’t wow me–it was tasty, and the carrot-ginger puree was a wonderful touch, but the meat was cooked more than I would have preferred (my sister got the same thing and asked for it to be cooked rare, and the server indicated that it couldn’t be done that way) and the spaetzle didn’t really contribute anything to the dish. The cassoulet was great–we couldn’t decide which part of the pork was our favorite (I think mine was the shoulder, but the sausage was also nice). The beans were hailed table-wide as the best part of the dish–yummy! For dessert, we returned to our favorites–the pecan tart for me (fabulous, as always) and the peanut-butter crunch for my man. Service was good, if a bit frazzled (hey, it was Saturday night of Restaurant Week, that’s to be expected). Wine recommendations, from both the server and the bartender, were spot-on and reasonably priced. As I left, I was even invited back for one of the wine tastings (in a way that didn’t feel like I was being sold something)–what a wonderful strategy to get people back in the door! I will certainly return to Vidalia as many times as possible before I leave DC–it remains one of my faves in the city.

I also visited Corduroy recently, but that meal deserves a post of its own (especially since it was my first experience there).  So, there you have it!  After tonight’s return trip to Proof (hooray!), I plan on eating out less and cooking MUCH more.  Stay tuned!

My boyfriend and I dined at Central for the first time last night, before a trip to the National Theater (to see “Avenue Q,” which I highly recommend). Our reservation was at 5:30, so I was a little worried about being rushed. However, our server read us very well and paced our meal impeccably; we walked out at 7:30, which was exactly what I was hoping for.

We ordered a bottle of Malbec, which was perfectly acceptable and reasonably priced (translation: the markup wasn’t as ridiculous as it is at other establishments) at $38. For starters, I opted for the mussel chowder–delicious, and I am not even the biggest mussel fan! The broth was creamy without being heavy, and the mussels were plump and flavorful. Yum. Boyfriend had the onion soup, which was decadent to say the least. They certainly don’t skimp on the cheese!

For the main course, I chose the braised rabbit, largely because it came with spaetzle. The meat was very well-cooked, though it was nothing out-of-this-world. The spaetzle, however, and the “glazed” carrots that accompanied the meal? Fan-frickin’-tastic. If we hadn’t been off to the theater, I would have asked for a doggie bag–the food was incredibly delicious, but it was too rich for me to finish. Boyfriend got the fish and chips, and he said that the fish was really good. He was NOT a fan of the frites, though, despite the fact that many DC foodies have been raving about them since the restaurant opened its doors. He also ordered a side of the mac and cheese, which he said was the best he’s ever had. I only tasted a bit, but I agree that it was top-notch.

We split the kit kat bar for dessert, and it lived up to its hype–how can you go wrong with chocolate and hazelnut (in the form of both mousse and ganache) atop a delicious wafery base? The malted vanilla ice cream that accompanied it was also a pleasant surprise. In the end, we left only $155 lighter in the wallet (after two appetizers, two entrees, a side dish, a dessert, a bottle of wine, a glass of some sort of Port-like drink, tax, and tip). For that price, Central offers some of the best food in town without the pretentious price tag. We’ll definitely be back!

Many nights of the week, I leave work and go directly to the Georgetown University Law Center (at 600 New Jersey Avenue NW) for rehearsal. I usually try to be frugal and either bring my dinner in a sack or opt for the cheaper Chinatown fare. However, on Wednesday evening, I decided to splurge a little and try Penn Quarter’s newest hot spot, Proof.

Described as a “wine-centric restaurant featuring modern American cuisine,” Proof combines the considerable talents of Chef Haidar Karoum (formerly of Asia Nora) and Sommelier Sebastian Zutant (formerly of Komi and Rasika). From the moment I stepped in the door, I understood why the early buzz about the place had been so resoundingly positive.

The space is gorgeous, with a sleek combination of glass and rich woods. I dipped into the ladies room before lighting at the bar, and I was instantly amused (though I won’t spoil the surprise by explaining why). There are many clever tie-ins to the National Portrait Gallery, which sits across G Street from Proof. In sum, the design of the restaurant seems to have been given as much thought as the wine and the food—which is saying a lot.

The by-the-glass list is varied and fairly priced, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Albarinho that the bartender selected for me. The wine was made even more enjoyable due to its being served at the proper temperature—thanks to a very cool-looking machine that is also programmed to distribute in precise amounts (I believe the glasses are available in 2-3 ounce “tastes,” 6 ounce pours, and 8 ounce pours). My Portuguese white was $9 for a 6 ounce pour, which I found quite reasonable.

For noshing, I opted for two “Firsts” (smaller plates). The “Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchi chanterelle mushrooms, roasted sweet corn” was absolutely divine—perfectly textured pillows of potato surrounded by intensely flavorful chanterelles. The dish was complex yet comforting, and it was not the least bit heavy (as lesser gnocchi can be). Next time, I’ll be ordering the large portion (entrée-priced at $21). The small was $14.

The $13 “Sautéed Veal Sweetbreads, medjool dates, bacon, spinach, caramel jus” was not quite as impressive. It was too sweet for my liking, with only the occasional heavily-salted bite of bacon. I should have known that the dates and the caramel would cause this dish to lean away from the savory side of things, but I went for it anyway—it wasn’t a complete miss (the sweetbreads were cooked very nicely, and the spinach was delicious), but I’ll probably opt for something else on subsequent visits.

Service at the bar was attentive without being cloying. Nothing about the place gives off a pretentious or exclusive vibe, though the crowd was well-dressed and attractive (and fairly diverse, especially age-wise). My tab, with two glasses of wine, two small plates, and a generous tip, was $65. So, while I won’t be able to dine at Proof every week, I will certainly return when I’m in the mood for serious food and wine in a refined-yet-accessible atmosphere. Well done!