Proof–Washington, DC

There’s a very good reason why Proof is considered one of Washington, DC’s hot spots of the moment, in the hopping Penn Quarter. Although I’ve only been there once, I can’t express my enthusiasm enough. Incredible food, exhaustive wine list, attractive decor and a fun vibe all combine to make the experience a special one.

We started with pork confit on jicama slaw with a red pepper lime emulsion, an incredibly pillowy gnocchi with tomato and basil, and stacked tuna tartare with crispy nori tempura.

Do I have your attention yet? No? Okay, let’s move on to the entrees.

A gorgeous vegetarian napolean, with crispy tofu standing in for the usual pastry layer, honey glazed duck with yam puree and pomegranate emulsion, and sablefish with pumpkin seeds, raisins, garbanzo beans, spinach and romesco sauce. The latter dish was the only one of the evening I wouldn’t order again, not so much because it wasn’t enjoyable, but rather because it wasn’t as exciting as the other dishes.

The menu changes monthly to keep up with what’s in season, and servers are knowledgeable and engaging.

Restaurants come and go all the time; it’s such a tough business. Proof has been open for three years, but it’s still hard to secure a reservation or even find a seat at the bar.

And to think it’s known more for its spectacular wine inventory than the food.

Oyamel–Washington, DC

Put Oyamel on your list the next time you visit our nation’s capitol. This attractive restaurant features small plates and authentic Mexican flavors, best enjoyed family style to experience the entire array of offerings on the menu.

Mole is an intense sauce, made with a variety of chile pods, fruit and nuts. Oyamel makes several different ones and pairs them with meat or fish. The scallops with green mole were a particular treat, as was the chicken and rice smothered with poblano mole.

The best dish? A quesadilla with huitlacoche and tomatillo salsa. Huitlacoche is corn smut, popularly referred to as a Mexican black truffle. Whenever I see huitlacoche on a menu, I always order it because it’s rare and incredibly delicious (check out a similar dish in Kansas City at Frida’s, along with their fabulous squash blossom quesadilla.)

We also enjoyed wonderful chips and salsa, a corn tamale, duck confit flautas and a taco with Yucatan-style pit barbecued pork with pickled red onion and Mexican sour orange, though the latter didn’t have the oomph of some of the other selections.

The choices get harder during weekend brunch, when some incredible sounding egg dishes are added to the mix.

And, not surprisingly, the drink list includes a dazzling variety of margaritas, including the Classic which can even be ordered by the pitcher.

What’s not to like about this place?