...that, my friends, was the question over dessert at last night's preview dinner at Proof. My fabulous tablemate (Happy Birthday!) didn't think so: she wanted it to be more pudding-y. I just wanted a bit more ice cream with it. And that little convo about our bread pudding was the biggest complaint we could muster at our fabulous dinner.Proof, which is a slice of New York across from the Portrait Gallery, has poached lots of talent from around town (from Asia Nora, Teatro Goldini and fantastic sommelier Sebastian Zutant from Rasika, to name a few). And running it all is detail-obsessed* owner Mark Kuller. Ask him about the little bronze-ringed candles at the table, the color of the menus, the grommets on the chairs, the deli slicer from the 1940's, the light bulbs--yes, the man has fretted over Every. Last. Detail.
After sending over two great bottles of wine (whose names I can't recall because, well, he sent over two bottles of wine. Oh, and topped it off with a bottle of exceptional champagne), we enjoyed selections from each of the courses:
Charcuterie: Proscuitto di Parma (exceptional) and Speck Wrapped Burrata (so eloquently described by me as "Adult Bubbalicious"--although now that I think of it, it's actually Freshen Up that had the surprise sweet center. Anyway, phenomenal).
First: Braised Meatballs and Blue Prawns (both yum).
Second: Wild King Salmon (not the most exciting choice, but solid).
Dessert: Incredible chocolate pie of some type and the aforementioned bread pudding (and French Press Decaf--yay!!!)
Final because we weren't quite stuffed enough: Cheese sampler plate (frigging incredible).
Then the tour: from the bathroom decor (laboriously chosen, see Detail, Obsession With above)--hot chick mural in the M, silver and fuschia garter patterned wallpaper in the W, the spotless spotless kitchen (new kitchens are always so fun!), the tiny tiny cramped office (two people were shoved in there when we saw it), the incredible-smelling wine storage room, the metal curtain that rolls out to create a private room for 12--this is a great new addition to the DC restaurant scene.
It officially opens for business on the 5th, so make your reservations now.
No cinnamon muffins, but he said he'd think about it.
Understatement of the century. Seriously.
3 comments:
We went there the other night as well. Incredible!
you beat dailycandy to the punch!! you are SO awesome!!
Not at all, actually. She was in there the day before I was. But because she's a real live professional editor, she has to do things like research and fact check--as opposed to, say, someone with no editorial responsiblities who can catch a buzz at the table and then blather about it (and if I get something wrong, well then, I can just go to my site and edit it).
Not so when you're read by tens of thousands as soon as they flip on their computers every single weekday!
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