Between Zaytinya and the Verizon Center, across from the American Art Museum (the G Street side of the National Portrait Gallery), lies Proof, a new restaurant that focuses on wine, small plates, charcuterie, and the like. I had a rollicking good time with three friends there a few weeks ago. Our meal started off with the waiter's delightful offer to summon the champagne trolley -- a rolling display of a number of champagnes, many available by the glass. (As it approached, one of my friends excitedly said "clang clang!" -- but when the bill came we only heard "cha ching!" Some of those champagnes by the glass are pretty steep, so don't get carried away.)
Although the restaurant also serves main courses, we nibbled on a variety of small plates. (Nibble and small are the operative words -- each dish didn't go far with four people.) We enjoyed the roasted flat breads (like tiny pizzas with a variety of toppings on a naan-like bread made with yogurt (if I didn't make that up)), gnocchi, meatballs, and a cheese plate (with cheese from nearby Cowgirl Creamery). According to the Washingtonian, the restaurant features the Enomatic wine system, which "houses 32 wines, which can be poured at the push of a button in two ounce tastes, four ounce full glasses, or eight-and-a-half ounce quartinos." (I can't comment on the wine as I was still on my no-alcohol anti-migraine 
diet (still boo!).) The service was friendly and efficient, and the atmosphere is elegant but lively.
Check out Washingtonian's early look, which includes a sample menu (Proof's own website is, I hope, a work in progress).
Reservations are available at opentable.
775 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 737-7663
Disclaimer: Okay, as far as I know this restaurant does not serve pudding. I just couldn't resist when I found this image from a prior post alphabetically nestled next to the Proof image. Years ago on Jeopardy Alex Trebek corrected someone who answered "the proof is in the pudding" (as only Alex can do), saying "Sorry, the expression is 'the proof of the eating is in the pudding.'" Well, that certainly makes more sense. But who has time for that?
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