Fancy restaurants? Yes please! I had a chance to go to Proof this week, which is one of the best place in Des Moines. Their website features breathtaking pictures of beautifully plated food. The Chef Sean Wilson is a 2013 James Beard Finalist, which is a prestigious award granted by a foundation that celebrates fine dining. Suffice to say, this is a cool place.
Proof is located in Downtown Des Moines by the sculpture park. The restaurant itself is in a minimalist white design featuring modern art and doors on the ceiling. Yes, doors on the ceiling. The service is incredible, our waitress had a vast knowledge of the menu, the drinks list, and the best pairings.
I got the chance to go with a bigger group, so we ordered a ton of different dishes! The pictures below are all the things I ate and enjoyed!
Hummus, Turkish Style: This was probably the best hummus i’ve ever had. It was creamy, warm, flavorful, and incredibly fresh tasting. Sabra hummus has nothing on this stuff. The pita bread was amazing, as were the pickled vegetables on the side, especially the tomatillos.
Below is an another amazing appetizer we had. This is seared halloumi cheese with a sesame crumble on top, with a shishito pepper and tomato sorbet on the side. Did I mean tomato sorbet? Yes I did. The warm and salty cheese paired with the subtle icy tomato flavor was a crazy good combination. This dish truly shows their creative side.
I know this is a kebab board…but I really don’t know much else. The skewers were beef, lamb, and chicken with a yogurt sauce and some yummy mayo, on a bed of couscous. I had a small bite of the chicken, and it was juicy and flavorful. I don’t eat red meat, but everyone else at the table was raving about the beef and lamb. Also, this plating is just amazing, isn’t it?
For the main course, we had the Vegetable Tagine and the Seared Scallops. The tagine is basically a bunch of vegetables cooked together in a tomato sauce filled with spices, and topped with an egg. I loved the okra and the sauce!
Lastly, I had the scallops. They were topped with a tomato sauce and dehydrated yogurt chips on a bed of riced cauliflower. The scallops themselves were beautifully cooked, soft and tender. The cauliflower and tomato sauce was yummy, but it was a tad salty, which threw off the balance of the dish. Seeing as these were a couple of the only pescatarian-friendly dishes, I felt the sauces and flavors were a bit repetitive.
Overall, my experience at Proof was incredibly impressive. The dishes were small but the flavors are worth it. Note to college students – this is most definitely a huge splurge restaurant. A date night for two will run you at least $60-70, depending on how much you eat. My suggestion, worth it for a big date or occasion, like an anniversary or a birthday. Spending this much at Proof is totally worth your money, the quality of food is miles better than an overpriced steakhouse or a run-of-the-mill chain Italian joint.
The Bottom Line
Amazing creative food, one of the best splurge restaurants in Des Moines!
Cone Rating: 4.5 Cones 
Price: $$$$ (Above 30$ for a full meal)
Location: Downtown Des Moines
On the Internet: Proof’s Website and Yelp
aditi eats 