New York

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Tabla

jim
jim
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
3
Reviews
Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-3 of 3
Editor Pick

Tabla

  • February 13, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by artslover from Calgary, Alberta
Tabla has tables outside looking across to Madison Square Park, but the humidity was too much for us semi-arid-climate dwellers, so we were taken to a table on the second floor. The restaurant describes its dress code as casual. The Bread Bar on the main floor had younger patrons dressed fairly casually, but the second floor had a lot of people who looked like they had come from work, a number of people in suits and women in trendy tops.

The attentive and informative waiters were dressed in black Nehru-style outfits. The look of the staff and restaurant is somewhat exotic but not stuffy.

I ordered a gin and tonic. An almost full glass arrived with tonic on the side. I wondered how much gin is in the glass—a lot.

The food was a unique experience, mostly Western food done with Indian spices. Instead of bread, we got naan with an apple and some kind of Chinese vegetable sauce, and the amuse bouche was some crunchy vegetable with spices that had the potential to be as addictive as popcorn. My companion had crab salad in a popadum shell, sea bass with a bok choy-and-ginger broth, and chocolate souffle. I had a tomato salad with Indian spices in the dressing, scallops with crab curry as a sauce, and panna cotta with strawberries and candied ginger. All was very good and the prices were quite reasonable. It was a fun experience, as well as tasty, and I would definitely return.

From journal Enjoying Art, Theatre, and Food in Manhattan

Editor Pick

Tabla

  • February 11, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Constance from New York, New York
As a general rule I don't like Indian food. Tabla is the exception. The food here is Indian fusion and incredible! I went with a large group of people and everyone shared my enthusiam for the place.

Tabla offers a wide menu selection so everyone will be happy. They recommend you order a variety of items that are shared among the table. It's perfect because you can get a great sampling of everything they have to offer. Our waiter was terrific in recommending menu items for us. My favorite was the rosemary and cheese Nan. There's also an amazing cocktail menu with some unique house specialities that I highly recommend. And to complete the evenings the deserts were great!

We went on a Sunday evening so it was relaxing and not very crowded. We chose to dine downstairs near the bar area for a more casual experience. There is also a large upstairs dining area available. The decor inside is wonderful! Very funky and but not overdone.

From journal NYC Restaurants from a local's point of view

Editor Pick

Tabla

  • February 5, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by jim from Charlotte, North Carolina
I was expecting an Indian restaurant, but it was more like creative Indian with a twist. The food was wonderful. I got everything I like about Indian food without the heaviness or the after effects.

I recommend sitting in the lower level and sharing the smaller dishes with several friends. We had several types of nan bread and almost every item on the menu...all of which I enjoyed.

The ambience was also very neat. The first floor was a little less formal but very impressive. From the ornamentation to the furniture to the bar, it was very well done. Upstairs, the dining room is a little more formal and also very impressive (particularly the huge windows). The staff is also very friendly and helpful.

If you like Indian but want something a little different, try this restaurant.

From journal My Favorite Restaurants in New York

Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-3 of 3

Compare New York Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

Helpful New York Links

New York Travel Deals