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23rd St-Park Ave S (6)
23rd St-Broadway (R, W)
23rd St-6th Ave (F, V)
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omg, WOW. I've never been a HUGE fan of Indian food before (let alone indian-french fusion), but this place completely blew me away - the food, wine pairing, dessert, service, and ambiance were all perfect. I'd love to come back here again and try the downstairs menu, or just more items off the delicious prixe fix menu.
We sat in the upstairs dining room for their 3-course prixe-fix menu. Our super knowledgeable and very professional waiter (although he seemed almost robot-like at times) started us off with some Riesling and complimentary naan with different tasting sauces. The naan itself was absolutely amazing - I could have eaten 5 more of those and had to restrain myself before our actual food came. I ordered this hamachi sashimi appetizer and my BF got the crab cake w/ avocado and tamarind , but both were super delicious. I gobbled his portion up too, and ordered more naan before our mains came. I knew it could only get better from here, and it did. I ordered the slow-cooked halibut with carrot and sun-dried ginger nage and he got the Black Spiced Poulet Rouge w/ pilaf and pea greens. Both were scrumptious and if this weren't in such a nice establishment I would have licked my plate clean.
For dessert, my we ordered the Milk Chocolate Pavé and the Yogurt Cardamom Cheesecake. The only complaint is that there wasn't enough of both. Luckily the check came along with 4 delicious assorted chocolate truffles to top off a fantastic dining experience.
Tabla, you've won me over. My one complaint is that I was under the impression the food itself would be Indian-French fusion, and not fusion in the sense that the restaurant was separated into French cuisine downstairs (a la carte) and Indian upstairs (prixe fix menu). This can be tricky for first time visitors, but the food itself was so great that I won't hold it against them. I'd love to come back next time I'm in town for the downstairs menu.
I was too excited to finally try Tabla tonight and unfortunately, it did not live up to it's reputation. I think we made a mistake in following our servers recommendation and ordering the Tabla Tasting... a prix fix menu that looked good, but became crazy as there were too many conflicting spices and flavors. The lamb shank rocked, but the other 8-10 dishes were ok at best. DON'T DO THE TASTING MENU.
The atmosphere scores a 4 and would be even better, but the restaurant was empty, so hard to give it more.
Service: Ambivalent at best. My friend and I actually thought she might be stoned. Slow, and no help at all to two new diners to the restaurant.
I will probably go back 1 more time and try the regular menu, probably. This was a $100 per person evening that wasn't even worth half that.
When my sister described the cuisine at Tabla, it seemed right up my alley. Unfortunately, I live in Washington DC, which is home to a nationally recognized, fabulous, and very similar restaurant called Rasika. By comparison, Tabla wasn't very impressive.
First of all, they nickel and dime you like the airlines here. If you want chutney, you have to pay a ridiculous amount. The naan must be made from imported flour because it's the most expensive naan I've ever seen. All the entrees are priced to be much larger. I was surprised there wasn't a fee to use the restroom.
I'd be happy to pay so much if the food was worth it, but it's not. We had the pakoras, scallops, garlic naan, green tomato curry, chicken tikka, and the short ribs. Absolutely nothing was remarkable, but the short ribs were probably the best.
We told the waiter to bring out the items as he best saw fit, and very oddly he brought out our "first course" of garlic naan and chutneys. I found myself wondering if this was some sort of scheme to make us order more naan when the food arrives? I don't know... but it was weird and highly questionable.
The space at Tabla is very nice. Despite being underwhelmed by the food, I had a fabulous time (largely because I was with amazing company). But would I ever come back here? No. There are a zillion and one options in New York City and this cannot make the cut.
If you get the chance to make it to DC -where we have FAR less options than Manhattan- you must eat at Rasika, especially if you like this type of cuisine. Rasika would be famous no matter where it was located.
Although I'm not a huge fan of the food (a little bland, even for "Indian fusion" and kindof pricey, but no obscenely so), Tabla is a great place for a drink, especially if it's warm enough to sit outside and look out onto Madison square park. Peaceful but at the same time, great people watching! The staff is super friendly and not snooty at all. The inside of the restaurant is gorgeous and definitely worth checking out. The "bread bar" is downstairs and has cheaper food than the "restaurant" section upstairs. You can always wander up there and see what all the fuss is about if you're curious.
Im not sure why so many people have told me such bad stuff about this place but i had a great experience with the food.
The SERVICE however could use a lot of work... One of the things that pissed us off the most was we ordered 3 bottles of wine and the wine would NEVER come with our food. We would get our food and have to wait or start eating and THEN the wine would come. wtf? completely ruins the wine pairing.
The food however was delicious.
My friend and i ended up getting 3 appetizer and 3 main courses each (not at the same time tho) we ordered three separate times. the meals were so small of course we were going to have to order multiple times :)
for dessert she decided to go for the donuts which were AMAZING.
over all great place for food. Great indian fusion. service... could use some improvement. It did upset me that my wine pairing didnt work out the way i wanted it to.
The food was decent, it wasn't flavorful or spicy as Indian food is meant to be. The garlic naan didn't have garlic. The portions are ridiculously small, which I completely understand if it is meant as a tasting in a several course meal. But the food was pretty much bland compared to most Indian food-- it wasn't oily which is a plus, but I'd rather have it taste like something... You also have to order rice and chutneys separately at $4 a piece. Based on the prices, it's not worth going to again. The dining room wasn't full at 7-8pm on a Friday night.
one piece of lamb samosa ($14)
garlic naan ($4)
chicken tikka ($16)
lamb ($21)
side of rice ($4)
The service was also really lackluster.
"Great Company, Good Food"
It was really a toss up between three and four stars. I had a pleasant experience and wasn't exactly disappointed, but wasn't blown away either. I'm going with three. The reason for the hesitation is the pricing, dish size, and quality of food.
It's expensive but not outrageous, the dishes are small but not tiny, and the food is good but not great. Conundrum! The service was impeccable, however, even if I did have to take the waiters nose out of my ass on more than one occasion.
We tried the sourdough, garlic, bacon, and cheese naan. All of them were good; the bacon and cheese taking the cake. I'd highly suggest you get those to whet the appetite next time you go to Tabla.
I came with a friend from London of Indian descent and he remarked, "I can see the Indian ingredients, but nothing is what I would call an Indian dish."
I was quite disappointed by the Tartare. It came in a bowl in a cold soup-like broth and had more vegetable than fish.
The chicken tikka was good; tender, well marinated and seasoned, with a lovely side of... something green that tasted good. It was, however, a bit too fatty for me to love it. I never want fat on my chicken.
I was surprised that they did not have a more expansive wine list, but the bottles they did have were tasty (the two that we tried).
All in all, it was a good time. But if I were going to spend (or have my friends spend) this kind of money again, I'd probably try out a few more places before returning. Unless, of course, I was in the mood for some cheesy, bacony naan and a side of their market green spinach. Which I am 24 hours a day because that shiz rocked.
Nice atmosphere but the food was very mediocre and the service was kinda annoying. For the prices they charge it did not work.
Pretty crazy; I've only had Bread Bar, but it was darn good. Appetizer-wise, the onion rings were very solid (with chick pea & cracked corn batter) & the squash pakoras were NO JOKE. Entrees were also delicious; the "Naanini" sandwich was the most appealing to me. Deserts? Pay attention to the ice cream & ice-cream like selection.
DO NOT IGNORE THE COCKTAILS. There are some crazy excellent options.
Tabla is one of the reasons I'm moving to New York. More impressively, it's one of the reasons my girlfriend wants to join me.
Two years ago, I took my girlfriend to NYC on an extended date. A friend recommended Tabla for dinner. We were seated in the dining room upstairs and opted for the tasting menu. My date, an obsessive oenophile, spoke with the sommelier regarding the optimal wine pairings and some possible selections. The som. *down*sold us to a cheaper wine that he thought we'd like better. Score 1 for Tabla. The wine was superb and went perfectly with our dinner. Score 2.
Our meal was incredible. From the chutneys to the desert, each dish was artfully presented and was comprised of incredibly fresh ingredients.
What most impressed us, however, was the restaurant's creativity. Cardoz's combination of French and American techniques with Indian flavors was a revelation. It is this creativity, this unique marriage of preparations that will bring us back again,
We've eaten there a few times since, including a late lunch at the bar. We were served by a cook who provided us with some fantastic tasting plates and some great conversation.
Not everyone loves this place- in fact, some of my friends are decidedly unimpressed. Nevertheless, Tabla is one of our favorites in one of the best food cities in the world.
PS- props to anyone who can name the movie in which Tabla appeared.
I'm not going to lie; this was an impulse dining choice. Thank you Iron Chef America.
It might've been the novelty of haute Indian cuisine, but my meal here was out of this world. The technique applied to each dish was impeccable, I thought French technique married with Indian flavors just sounded too gimmicky. I love being wrong.
I chose the Early Fall tasting menu, my carnivorous fiance took one for the team and got the Vegetarian tasting. We completely over-ordered and ate entirely too much of the complimentary naan and chutneys. Every dish was perfect cooked, every spice perfectly balanced.
At $250, this was the most expensive meal I've had since moving to New York, but also the best.
I've been here for both RW and for a regular dinner ( the price for the dinner was mildly offset by the coupon that was given during my RW adventure!)
Their food is very good - their naan and dip were so good that I think it was better than some of the entrees I had! The ambiance and overall setting is very relaxing, very upscale-ish without feeling pretentious.
I've had better Indian food for half the price. The exotic surroundings and nice open floor plan was great for a rowdy young crowd (of which we were a part of), but it didn't help out in terms of privacy or ease of holding a conversation. The portions were small and left us wanting more...out of hunger (if that was part of Tabla's scheme, I applaud their success). Honestly speaking, I think I might need to give it another chance. But for the same reasons why I have avoided Tamarind, I think I know of a few places that serve up tastier, more affordable food from the subcontinent than Tabla.
I've eaten here twice. The first time, I thought it was overrated and the food wasn't that good. There had been a fruit fly in our wine and the waitress just said "it happens" after we had just spent $250 on dinner between my friend and I. We had decided to go to Tabla since Continental was offering the cookbook for free but after we saw the menu we decided to get other things off the menu that were just okay.
The second time, I ate at the bread bar and the food was delicious.. the portions were small but the food was much better than upstairs. I would definitely recommend the bread bar, it is better priced and the food is more worth the money.
*** Restaurant Week Review ***
Tabla's got a lot of different menus flying around at the Dining Room and Bread bar right now, but I went for the Restaurant Week Lunch at the Dining Room.
I. FOOD
[[ Extras ]]
The fresh and flavorful table naan teased at good things to come. One was a fluffy herbed naan, and the other was a denser Roti (we think).
We also ordered a la carte entree: Rice Flaked Halibut with Watermelon Curry. This is probably my favorite dish. The textures blended wonderfully, with the spiced watermelon coating the soft fish and the crispy exterior and toppings.
[[ Appetizer ]]
--- Confit of Beef Cheeks
I .... can't really remember much about the dish. That speaks volumes. I'm sure it was "just okay", since negative impressions would stick. A shame, because beef cheeks can be transcendental if made right.
[[ Main Course ]]
--- Braised Short Ribs of Beef
A brown lump with shoestring potatoes arrives in front of me. I stab it blindly with my fork, foraging around to discern what each element is. The short rib is one big chunk that is definitely tender and juicy in some parts, but another bite could contain chewy tendon and dry areas. The mashed potatoes were covered with the beef too. An altogether hearty dish, though I wouldn't say they were my favorite ribs ever.
--- Roasted Heritage Pork T-Bone
A friend's dish that I sampled. The portion was huge, but she had to remove a large section of fat. I thought the meat was too tough and flavorless, but the sauce helped...a little.
[[ Dessert ]]
--- Vanilla Bean Kulfi
I was excited to try this dessert. It even comes with a special serrated spoon because the Kulfi is so hard you have to carve at it. I thought the gold leaf and overall presentation was beautiful, but I felt like I was working to eat my dessert more than taking the time to savor it.
II. SERVICE
After reading the reviews on Yelp, I was a little apprehensive about the service. Luckily, the lunch went without a hitch. They were very accommodating when our group of 6 turned into 4 at the last minute. The service was attentive and quick without being pushy. A dining companion flipped his fork and our waitress thought to bring club soda and a napkin immediately.
III. VERDICT
I have a precarious relationship with Danny Meyer restaurants. On the whole, they can serve up a great "experience package", so to speak. But for me, the food reaches the "good" level, but falls short of the "WOW" status. The $24.07 return gift card (note: only valid for 2 months) might be the trump card that tempts me to come back and give it another shot off the regular menu.
P.S. A nod to their nice plates.
Melt in your mouth dishes with staff that are always polite & helpful.
The food is infused with amazing spice combination (flavorful not HOT).
I hear they are combining the Breadbar and Upstairs menus to give us the best of both worlds, I can't wait!
Review by Butcher (E.Lee) and Porkchop (H.Ngo)
Very randomly we came here on a Friday after a late night at work. (We don't work together...so don't think we were "working late"...together.) Anyway, what is there on 25th and Madison? There's Shake Shack with a humungo line and it's pretty worth it for their price and deliciousness...but this isn't a post about Shake Shack.
Tabla. It has good food. Come craving extra flavorful and unique dishes... and a full wallet.
I (Butcher) have never researched Tabla and knew nothing about it except that their celebrity chef was on Top Chef or was mentioned. Probably showed face. I like that you have your own door to your restroom. I mean...big tall door. People were very nice and they knew we weren't people they can't be real with. therefore, we had the suckiest table and the closest one to the servers...since we're buds. Porkchop, "At least they made up for it with their smiley faces and excellent service." Our server was very detailed in describing the different wines and I wouldn't let him go until he described mine that was ordered by Porkchop.
Oh yeah, I meant to say...since I didn't research Tabla beforehand, I didn't know it was Prix Fixe only (a couple different prix fixe's you can choose from).
Do you want to hear about the food?
It was all cooked perfectly and bursting with flavor. We have to admit that the samosa looked and tasted suspiciously like an empanada. The skate was good but a little undercooked for Porkchop, and we assumed that's how it is supposed to be.
I don't eat red meat but I only had red meat/pink meat. I ordered white wine thinking I wasn't going to eat red meat. The pork short rib (without the rib) was tender (a word i hate to use to describe human meat) and full of tender fat. I know a lot of people would LOVE it, and it was good but I'm not a fat eater. The spiced hanger steak (that was on the same plate as the short rib) was medium rare and soo flavorful. My portion of meats are on the "delicate" side but that was all good because ...well I don't eat much red meat and also because they fed us fresh naan, cold soup shot, and appetizer before the entree. After the entree, we had dessert...one of them had gold in it and after that...they gave us chocolate! When would this dinner ever end I thought...same as this post.
Take a look at all our pictures taken from an iphone without flash since iphones don't make flash :(
Thank you.
-Butcher + Porkchop
I came here in a double date for Tabla's Ten (a tapas menu with all items under $10, on Wednesdays only) and we were all impressed! The options were plentiful, the service was seamless and wonderful, and your first two bottles of wine have no corkage fee! Wooo!
In all honesty, none of the items really blew me away except for the "street food." I forgot what it's called, but it was GOOOOD. Three dishes a person was about right; we ordered both desserts (one was a strawberry muffin and the other a chocolate thing) and they were yum. Altogether, it came out to about $35/person, all in. A GREAT deal for a fun atmosphere and yum food.
Reservations are recommended, but the Tabla's Ten space never filled up while we were there.
I was brought here on a whim for the lunch, prix-fix menu during Restaurant Week.
The decor is... interesting, but am I the only one who felt like I was on a cruise liner? I kept wondering where the buffet table was. I get the impression it's better at night, when they light it well.
FOOD: I'm a very big fan of anything Indian fusion and I think Tabla does it right. I got the braised beef that was really tender and hands down, the best thing on the menu.
For dessert I had the Tahitian Vanilla Bean Kulfi, which was a little over rated. It was our waiters favorite, but it kind of seemed like thicker Bryers ice cream in the shape of a cone.
Go for lunch, it was three course for 24/29 dollars.
This place is ballin. Everyone is raving (or should be) about the food so I will try to be mildly distinctive. The specialty cocktails are actually not too sweet, which is a first. The naan is extremely satisfying. I've done the tasting menu with wine pairings and it's truly worth it -- plus they let one person do the regular and the other do the vegetarian, which equals more dishes/wines to taste.
Caution: you are too intoxicated after five glasses of wine to taste the last two dishes, so those are a bit of a wash. Or was it last three dishes?
We arrived for lunch just as Tabla was opening so we were among the first to enjoy that day's samplings - I chose to order from the spring Prix Fixe
lunch menu and managed to mix 'n match items to create the ultimate three course meal for myself.
The server brought us two types of complimentary naan - a standard naan that was perfectly salted and puffed and a herbed rosemary naan that was a nice spicy twist.
I started with a salad of organic field greens. "Crisped rice, lime chutney- sherry dressing" - I'm normally not a fan of young or baby greens but this salad was the NUTS. There was some sort of addictive ingredient in the dressing because I couldn't stop eating it. The salad came "wrapped" in a sliver of shaved cucumber and topped with grated rainbow beets (see photos).
Next came the "South Indian Semolina Pilaf - Baby Root Vegetables in a Coconut Curry". While I love root vegetables - carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes all made an appearance - the portion was too big for what it was and I was unable to finish it. I was expecting rice when I saw the word pilaf but realized it was something different when I tasted it. The texture was like a cornmeal/polenta. I guess that's what semolina is?
I finished with "Grapefruit Parfait - Grapefruit Tarragon Sorbet & Almond Crisp". I'm not a huge fan of grapefruit but this dessert was perfect. The presentation was incredible - I'm not sure if it was worth a 20 minute wait, but it looked nice and tasted even better. Which brings me to my next point.
Considering the fact that the restaurant had nary been open ten minutes once we arrived, the service left a bit to be desired. It started off well and our server was indeed knowledgeable and polite, but oscillated between being overbearing (hovering above me as I finished my salad - he was eager for me to finish it so he could clear my plate, even though there was ample room on our table for multiple plates) and absent. After the salad fiasco our plates were cleared for the entree, and then it took about 20 minutes for our dessert to arrive. Then it took even longer for the bill to arrive or for anyone to even check our status after dessert. I actually had to get back to the office and left before our party's bill was even taken care of.
Considering we were among only a handful of patrons in the restaurant I thought it was a bit unacceptable to have to wait so long.
We went to Tabla to celebrate my husband's birthday. I booked on http://Opentable.com and made a note in the reservation that it was my husband's birthday.
We arrived to be seated at perhaps the most fabulous table; upstairs smack dab in the middle of the window that overlooks Madison Park. Our waiter was fabulous and was knowledgeable about wine and his suggestions were perfect with our food.
I ordered the polenta with wild mushroom ragu - my husband the dosas. I commented to the bread guy about the Naan and I asked him how they made it. Next thing we knew, we were getting a private tour through the kitchen and meeting the Chefs! It was SO special and we felt like superstars!
Dinner was just amazing, the flavors were complex and complimenting. I liked that it was a menu of not-so-ordinary foods, which really made it somewhat of a culinary adventure.
I would definitely recommend this place to friends and colleagues. It is a nice enough atmosphere that I feel that you could take a client or a group of girls for the bread menu downstairs.
Went last night and sat downstairs. The place is quite stylish and the service was very attentive and friendly.
The food was presented elegantly. I ordered a number of seafood dishes. The fish was quite fresh and seasoned perfectly. Traditional Indian its not, but it is a welcome break from all the other standard American fare in the neighborhood.
ok so. Friday Evening, no reservation, underdressed, and my friend and I are a couple of young female raggamuffins (I kinda just wanted to use that word). So going to a place like Tabla I would expect go be shoved in a corner near the bathroom, IF that. But instead, there was not an ounce of pretension in any of the staff members. To sum it all up the service was great.
Now to the food. liked the app. loved the naan. My friends shrimp entree "hit the spot" and my chicken was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and it filed me up. The wine was nice too.
Ambiance was good, very chill, and there was not a bad table in the place.
If I wasnt bordeline poor, I would definitely come back
How it pains me to write this review... If only the Tabla staff knew I was a yelper. Maybe things would have been different.
1:30 reservations for Restaurant Week lunch. Upon arrival, the hostess convinces us to sit at the Bread Bar instead of upstairs. She says they also serve the RW menu, slightly different, but she thinks we will like it better.
Immediately, our waiter informs us that they do not offer the Restaurant Week menu in the Bread Bar. However, they do have a $24 prix fix lunch menu that is "similar." So now I am twice removed from the food experience I had planned for, and feeling a little annoyed.
I ordered the mushroom soup, Sliced flank steak, and vanilla bean dessert (it said something about a rootbeer float, but I imagined it would be much more creative). The mushroom soup took a looooong time to come out and tasted mostly like cilantro and salt. 20 minutes after the soup, my waiter informs me that they have "run out" of the broth that the steak is cooked in, and do I want something else. How a restaurant possibly runs out of broth by 1:30pm on a Thursday, I have no idea. He suggests I still have the steak but cooked in a horseradish sauce. I told him I don't really want it to be spicy, and he assured me it wouldn't. Ten minutes later he came back and apologized; the chef says it is very spicy, so he will bring the sauce on the side. By this time I just want my damn food!
My 2 friends are brought their entrees, and I am still waiting in the cold for my steak with sauce on the side. 15 minutes later its slapped down in front of me, no apology. The steak was very good, but again, extremely salty. I downed 3 glasses of water and couldn't finish the dish. Also, I basically just had sliced steak with some potatoes and escarole. How is that Indian? I do not know.
Dessert was interesting. A frozen solid piece of ice cream floating in flat rootbeer. By the time the ice cream thawed enough to be eaten, it was soup.
Tabla, you have let me down. Did I miss something?
This was my first taste of Indian cuisine and while it is an Indian-American fusion it is divine. The waitor was really professonal, the place had a nice atmosphere and we knew we were in for something epic. I am trying to recall everything we had when we went there, it was several months ago. The naan bread and the dips for it were really good, the mushroom soup was really nice and spicy and the rice flaked halibut with the watermelon chutney was by far the best part of the meal. They sent us home with little gift boxes with macadamia nut cookies in them that were delicious and muffins which were spicy but otherwise bland. I would eat here again, but only at the price fixe.
I came here on a date and I have to say, was pretty disappointed. We went for the pri fixe which is a splurge for any diner, but course after course hammered into both of us the impression that the food was priced more for its inventiveness (not to mention the decor/atmosphere), than the actual food itself. If you are looking for a place to splurge for a nice, tasty dinner, I would look elsewhere. My one caveat to this review is that we went on a Sunday evening -- the first-line crew might have been taking the night off.
Called for a reservation for Sunday PM, but told there were none. Showed up anyhow -- got a table no problem. Go figure.
Amuse was mushroom soup. Papadum was served with green and tomato chutneys, both were excellent. Started with morel and ramp fricasse with a polenta-like base. Fabulous. Had some samosa, which was very tasty (but the crust was a bit sweet). Main course was cod. Dad had egg and chicken livers to start and the hallibut. Aunt had lamb. Each flavor was distinct, crisp and perfect. Really enjoyed everything.
Unlike 11 Madison (I had a Danny Meyer weekend) , the martinis were not short-poured. Excellent experience all around. And, once again, Dad insisted upon paying. Yay!
I went here with a bunch of old work buddies. We tried 1 of everything off of the Tabla 10 menu (think tapas style).
I don't really have too much to say about this one. None of the dishes were memorable...for being particularly good or particularly bad. So I guess the consistency of the dishes was good, but that consistency fell on the 'meh' level of my meter.
A lot of the dishes tasted too similar as the spices used and the level of spice was omnipresent. It reminded me more of Turkish food than Indian, which isn't necessarily a good thing as I tend to think of Turkish as a blander version of Indian...
Water Refill Meter: 4/5
Very little 'down time' due to an empty glass
Delicious and BEAUTIFULLY plated!
Like most of the reviews that will happen this week, I came here for Restaurant week and was NOT disappointed. I had the Wild Mushroom fricassee, seared bay scallops and the semifreddo, all of which were innovative (as in I'd never had anything like it before) and tasty (as in... well, you know) and comparing the RW dinner prices to their normal prices, I feel like I got a deal.
Everyone was super friendly and accomodating plus our waiter looked a bit like Keanu Reeves (sp?... who cares?).
A plus: Fresh baked naan speckled with black sesame seeds and served with this DELISH spicy tomato chutney. As much as you want. Go get 'em!
Ready? Go. Fresh Western food, fused with Indian style cooking, plated with French culinary precision and created by Floyd Cardoz, a chef from India who trained as a biochemist and battled Bobby Flay on Iron Chef, Tabla had a chance to be in a world by itself. It's almost there.
Tabla, derived from a popular Indian drum instrument, lives up to its namesake. Loud colors and bold flavors lead a symphony of high flying creations that vie for all your senses. Don't come here if you're looking for the fresh, natural flavors in Californian cuisine. Cardoz is the lord of spice.
Fluke Crudo
Beautifully plated, you can see already see the chef's influence in the spiced cider consume. The flavors were too overbearing however for me to taste the raw fish.
Shellfish Fricassee
Rock shrimp, bouchot mussel & calamari, tapioca, coconut and mango in one dish? I see those ingredients and I think two things. Fried seafood and boba, probably not the best of combinations. But wow, Cardoz hits this one out of the park. Amazing.
Blackened Mahi Mahi
Forget the mahi mahi, the smoky curry infused navy beans, spicy linguica sausage and pea shoots were a dish in itself. Thinking about this just makes my mouth water. The fish was fresh and juicy but again, the spice rub was a bit too much and overpowered any natural flavors the fish might have had.
Milk Chocolate with Brown Ale Semifreddo Tamarind in caramel? Beer foam with milk chocolate? I first tasted all the flavors separately and declared this a waste of a dessert. Then I tried combining all the ingredients and it blew me away. The semi-frozen milk chocolate was contrasted by the bitter beer foam, while the cashew brittle crumble added texture and the caramel a bit of sticky sweet.
uploaded a few pictures which can be found on my blog as well
Tabla offers very inventive Indian fusion cuisine that provides a very unique dining experience. The food is excellent and the ambiance is very serene. It has been a hit every time for me!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. Great food, friendly staff, welcoming ambience.
They have a bread bar downstairs where they serve all these different kinds of dips with naan and then they also serve some of the plates they serve upstairs in the actual restaurant.
My boyfriend and I went for a lunch date. He had the chef's menu ($29) and I had the winter menu ($24). Each of them come with an appetizer, entree and dessert. After we ordered, the server placed a fresh out of the oven piece of naan in the middle of our table. Definitely didn't expect that but it was an awesome surprise! Best part, they keep refiling the naan when you finish each piece.
I'm normally not a big fan of Indian food because I'm not into the mush and drippy mess that it entails. But Tabla definitely changed my mind. They used curry like spices so you still get that Indian flavor but without the sloppiness. One of my favorites was their taro encrusted halibut with this mushroom sauce that was too die for! I also had their slow cooked salmon that was perfectly seasoned and so soft it melted in my mouth.
Dessert is not necessarily their strong point but at least the presentation was pretty. Who goes to these kind of places for dessert anyways?
Came here for restaurant week dinner with 3 girlfriends.
We were seated promptly, exactly at the time of our reservation (10pm, Fri).
I had the chilled calamari & rock shrimp appetizer - very good. Small portion, nicely flavored. While my friends all go the wild mushroom fricasse which I tasted and thought was very good, maybe a little creamy and heavy for an app though.
For an entree I got the scallops, which were amazing. Perfectly cooked. My friends were definitely jealous of my choice. Two got the lamb, and one got the monkfish. The lamb was dangerously medium-rare, but tender and juicy (bloody?). The monkfish I can't comment on as I am not a fish-fish eater.
For dessert I got something call a root beer float, and the rest got some chocolate thing. Both were disappointments. I realize that foodies probably would appreciate the technique, however, I found the texture to be unedible....almost like freezer burned ice cream.
The service was impeccable. The waiter saw that my friend was shivering (it was 20 degrees out, and she was wearing a short sleeve dress) and gave her complimentary tea, which was very sweet.
Oh for a drink I had the margarita which was awesome. Definitely would go back to the bread bar for drinks.
This restaurant was just so BEAUTIFUL. The food was superb too. I just give it 3 stars because we had to wait two hours just to be seated.
By observing the space, Tabla is the kind of restaurant that has put thought into every detail to create the perfect atmosphere and eclectic fusion. My boyfriend had been there before and highly recommended it. So on a lovely early summer day, we ventured together as an excuse to get out of work on time.
The watermelon mojito was remarkable. For dinner, we opted for the tasting menu with wine pairing. We were starving. Everything was delicious and presented well but the timing of the food came too far apart. By the third or fourth dish we were ready to be done. I think it's important to keep the right momentum. By the way, there was also a tiny bug in my soup. The blueberry souffle was the best dish. I might try Tabla again but go with the other menu option.
We had also requested a listing of our wine pairings but did not receive it. A few months later I noticed that elsewhere at Del Posto, they had the insight to start printing the tasting menus with wine pairings. Overall an enjoyable experience.
I was dubious initially, as many fusion chefs cook "confusion food" morphing cuisines in a fashion that removes all redeeming qualities from the original styles. This is not the case at Tabla.
I chose the 7 course wine paired dinner, the ingredients went well with each other, food was beautifully cooked and wines were simpatico with the courses.
Tabla, a Flatiron District restaurant offering refined New American cooking infused with Indian spices. The Naan was good, but the underlying corn-like bread was hard and bland. I enjoyed the flavors and sensuous texture of the Shellfish Fricassée with rock shrimp, bouchot mussel and calamari, tapioca, coconut and mango. Noteworthy was Executive Chef Floyd Cardoz's favorite, Sweet Spice Braised Beef Oxtails with rice flake pilaf, peanuts, and pea shoots. Service was slow yet this flawed feeling dissipated quickly with the arrival of Chef Cardoz making his table rounds and meeting his clients.
$$$
Great place for a Restaurant Week meal. The décor is elegant , modern and very lovely. Wonderful naan bread. The lunch portion of the short ribs was delicious and a nice size. Desserts were beautifully presented, but the portion was a bit small. A real treat was getting two $24.07 gift certificates for dinner with the check.
I like tabla a lot. I do not LOVE it. I like it a lot! the thing that is EXCEPTIONAL about tabla is about the genius behind the mixing of spices: fench, american, indian! GENIUS!
i loved the food. the nan with the chutney was FABULOUS! that chutney was the BEST in my life!
what else was good? the cocktails. I had a cocktail w buddha hand in it. I never seen that ingredient used in a drink before! (buddha hand is a plant where the flowers actually look like a green hand reaching out ilke the buddha's.)
the skate was not good, says my dinner mate. it wasnt fabulous. but still good.
i had the crab cake followed by the bass. the crab cake wasnt as good as the one i had at jo jo's. but still v good. the bass was delicious! but not as fabulous as id expect.
hey, if youre spending that kind of money, then it had better be FANTASTIC
but you really ought to go. just once at least. the mixing of the tastes was genuinely genius and pretty gooood.
we didnt have dessert.
the service was FANTASTIC. the waiter was there for us for ANYTHING we wanted. any taste of whichever wine we wanted, we had. this waiter was amazing
btw- dress up. i went in jeans. big mistake. i was the ONLY person in the ENTIRE restaurant in jeans.
yeah.... mucho embarrassing! but to my defense there were pretty jeans! they were sevens!!!
GO! it tastes great! take a date or go with the company. its a niiiice place
Biere de Garde: Beer Dinners!
Neighborhood: Nolita
Live Music and Drink Specials!
Brooklyn, NY
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Category: Indian
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: Indian
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Category: Indian
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: Indian
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