Proof: The Battle of Charcuterie

I went to lunch at Proof (http://www.proofdc.com/) where "food is the focus. wine is the passion." Unfortunately, I didn't get to partake in the passion because I went there during working hours. While some can handle drinking during the day, I'm not one of those people. I liked it. It offers cheese and charcuterie boards, which I love. I usually go to Sonoma (http://www.sonomadc.com/) on Capitol Hill (SE) for that sort of thing, but it's inconvenient from my office location. So, I was excited to find a restaurant that offered it that was closer by. The meat and cheese selection was good. We ordered speck (pork) and bresaola (beef), gruyere and pipe dreams (goat cheese). It was tasty and came with raw honey, apple puree, and wine-soaked raisins, all of which complemented the cheeses and meats well. I must say, though that I prefer the presentation at Sonoma. It comes out on a nice butcher block and is accompanied by a heartier amount of yummy grilled bread and more interesting accompaniments -- like red and white wine jellies, nuts, truffled baby peaches, and delicious mustard. I also like the atmosphere at Sonoma better. It's less corporate than Proof, although that's to be expected given its location. Enough about Sonoma... I chose the shrimp burger for my main course, and was not disappointed. It irks me when I go to a restaurant and order a chicken burger only to discover that it's not a burger at all, but a chicken breast on a roll. It was like a big burger-sized lump of shrimp toast (fried minced shrimp), which was pleasantly crispy on the outside. It was topped with jalapenos, cucumber, and cilantro -- remniscent of bahn mi, the Vietnamese sandwiches that I love so much. For dessert, I ordered the mini chocolate bundt cake. Not too adventurous, but nice nonetheless. I liked it because it was real cake. I hate ordering cake at shi-shi restaurants and getting a piece of cold, flourless crap. It was a real cake and was served warm with ice cream. Parting notes: (1) I liked the "bread" basket. The bread wasn't bread. It was more like long, crispy crackers served with a refreshing yogurt dip, which is probably a lot healthier than butter; and (2) The coffee was decent. French press and typical for an upscale restaurant. The verdict? I would go back for lunch during the workweek, but probably wouldn't go out of my way to go back for dinner. Sonoma on the other hand....