Tabla Cart

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11 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010 (at at 25th St.)
New York, NY 10010

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(212) 889-0667
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Tabla Cart - New York, NY
Tabla Cart - New York, NY
Tabla Cart - New York, NY
Tabla Cart - New York, NY
Tabla Cart - New York, NY
Tabla Cart - New York, NY
Reviews
( 50 )
( 52 )
( 10 )
( 22 )
( 9 )

Best

and the tamarind margaritas! felt like a good part of my fun years in NYC were spent at the bread bar or outside under the portico with some cocktails and na'an! Good times!

Worst

I went here with my (Indian) parents, and my father has unrealistic expectations for a restaurant that is labelled fusion. Still, my mother and I were totally ready to give it a c...

Great Tamarind Margaritas! Food is ok. 4/17/2005

If you go here - your focus should be the Tamarind Margaritas. They are amazing! The food is alright - some stuff is good - some is not (like the steak dish which tends to be dry). Service is spotty but on nice warm days your focus should be relaxing in the outdoor space, enjoying your drink and snacking on food as it comes out (the food never comes out all at once....go figure). And I say snacking because it really is not set up to be a proper dinner. Just stick with the small dishes! more
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Unbelievably Horrible 2/19/2005

If you want to spend a Sunday evening at a restaurant with little children running around and crying at their table - this is the place. I would expect to go to a restaurant of this supposed caliber and not have to deal with such an issue. Not to mention the service was horrible and the food - mediocre at best. Honestly have never experienced such dissappointment at a restaurant. more
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Sloppy service, cold & burned food 2/16/2005

This place is terrible! My boyfriend and I went here on a Wednesday night, and were told we had to wait 15 minutes for a table....fine, except there were several tables open! When we sat down we ordered bread - for which bread bar charges $4 per piece of nan - but it took 25 minutes to arrive. About 3.5 minutes after the bread arrived, my boyfriend's beef entree lukewarm. My pizza finally arrived about 15 minutes after my boyfriend's dinner had arrived. His dinner was cold by the time he ate it, and my pizza was burned! Bread bar couldn't get anything right except water refills (good job to the water guy). I'd stay away from this place unless you want poor service, burned / cold food and a hefty check considering what you get. more
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Surprisingly Good 11/13/2004

I'm getting a bit tired of 'fusion' food, but this was a nice surprise. The bar's signature cocktails are great (the bloody mary works really well as a prequel to the food). The food was very nice. There were places where the sauces were overpowering, but overall it was very well thought out and thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend the dessert specials. I was served a pear and huckleberry tart with caramel that was great. Paired with the accompanying glass of Muscat, it was fantastic. more
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GREAT EXPERIENCE 11/3/2004

The majority of what I read was VERY positive. However, a few negative reviews made me hesitant to go. I was only in NYC for one day and wanted to make dinner a great ending to the day before catching a flight out. We ended up going but not having a lot of time. We conveyed this to our servers. They were INCREDIBLY dedicated to getting us a great dinner and out the door. The food was fresh, dynamic and really popped (without being overwhelming). We ended up eating at around 3:30 (off lunch menu) so prices were very good in addidion - 1 naan, 2 chutneys, one salad and a plate (pull lamb w potato pancakes) plus 2 drinks for around $60. Pros: GREAT service, Fresh Food more
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I cannot believe Tabla has... 9/16/2004

an average score of 8.6 & an 81% rate of return! Are any of these ratings falsified? Had dinner there on Saturday with a few girlfriends (2 of them are Indian). The food didn't taste Indian (or Indian-inspired) at all. Everything was strangely over-flavored & very salty. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to come back for more of this unappetizing food. more
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Amazing Service!!!!! 8/27/2004

Those of you who wish to dine out in a setting which combines an outstanding unique menu and second to none service need to read this! My husband and I were entertaining friends and we thought the Flatiron district would provide a great location for our out-of-town guests, after walking around the area a bit during a busy NYC lunch crowd; we stumbled into TABLA! From the moment we walked in we were treated like royalty! It had been very busy, and we were ravenous, so we were anxious to be seated promptly; an employee named Nancy made us feel very welcome during our wait by answering questions about our newly found hot spot! Although we live in Staten Island, we will come back to this truly last resort for superior service and dining! Hats off to TABLA and staff. more
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Creative concept, flawlessly executed 7/18/2004

Tabla has one of the most creative menus in the city, packed with daring flavor combinations and top-notch ingredients. It's true that this is not "authentic" Indian, but does New York really need another curry place? My first course, a moist crab cake garnished with tamarind chutney and avocado paste, was staggeringly flavorful. After extensive deliberation, I finally decided on an entree of suckling pig, shaped into a sort of square pork pie with a smoky crust of skin on top. It was served on a bed of lotus root and kimchi, the bitterness of which offset the sweet pork in a sublime balancing act. For dessert, I devoured a custardy sour cherry clafouti topped with a scoop of silky lemon verbena sorbet. Tabla is worth the $80 tab; I would recommend skipping the downstairs Bread Bar and instead going for the whole shebang upstairs. Your palate will thank you. Pros: Superlative food, friendly service more
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Your mouth goes wild 7/7/2004

This was a $54 tasting menu consisting of an appetizer, (many to choose from) an entre and dessert. An explosion of tastes is the best way to put it. Four of us had a most enjoyable experience here. We were welcomed and promptly seated. The wait staff was quick but unobtrusive & patiently answered questions about the menu offerings. The water glasses were constantly filled. The big news was the food. Simple soft shell crabs elevated to sublime with a spicy brown gravy, spiced vegetables and chopped bacon. Halibut in a red sauce with seasonings transformed this dish into taste euphoria. The wine was about 2 & a half times the store price which I guess is average for restaurants. Desserts were scrumptious and an assortment of Indian teas were available. We all can't wait to return to try the other dishes! more
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A nice surprise for Restaurant Week 6/24/2004

Unlike the previous entry, I went during Restaurant Week and had a great experience. We went early (6:30) and it wasn't as packed yet and we had complete attention from the waiter. They didn't try to rush us out of there either. The food was great and very flavorful and the bread and dips in between the courses were a nice treat too. I think it was a great deal for restaurant week. The restaurant is neatly designed inside and smells great right when you walk in. more
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I don't know what all the fuss is about 6/23/2004

It just wasn't good--the food was very bad Indian, and mediocre American at best, and the service left much to be desired. The bill was not so friendly either. Pros: Nice space Cons: , Uninspired, bad food, Poor service more
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Good food, PITIFUL SERVICE 6/22/2004

Went during restaurant week so granted it was busy. The food was good, not great. The service was pathetic. I had to ask the waiter a couple of times to clear our empty glasses. The waiter confused our order and they were not attentive. I have never written a restaurant review before but felt compelled after my experience. Pros: Food Quality, Space Cons: , Service, SERVICE! more
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Super, Super, Super... 6/8/2004

This spot is Hot.... Great food, Great Fun, Great Drinks and a Design Atmosphere. The design is cool and trendy with ethnic accents. The food is incredibly tasty, well presented and the Indian fusion makes it some of the most exciting food that will ever hit your taste buds! You MUST try a Tablatini or 2 or 3!!! Great Pinapple/lemongrass infused martini, that hits the spot everytime. Tabla is great for friends and fun, great for business and also great for a romantic date. There is little if nothing wrong with this place. Well done! Pros: Food, Drink, Atmosphere more
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very very good! 5/3/2004

ive heard so much about tabla for a while. i had no idea until we finally made it there for dinner, on our last nyc visit, that the place is owned by the gramercy tavern people. which is one of our favorite restaurants. the one thing i didnt realize, until we sat down, is the upstairs is a set menu. downstairs is the casual ala cart menu. still, it was well worth the price. the food is wonderful. and the kumquat mojits, im ready to fly back to new york just for those and for the baked lamb somosa! more
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Indian Food?? Nah..... 4/12/2004

Table is a great restaurant. That said, it be the number 1 "Indian Restaurant" is a bit misleading. The cuisine at Tabla can at best be classified as fusion New American with a touch of traditional Indian spices/flavor. more
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Enjoyed Date with Hubby at Tabla 3/6/2004

We don't get a chance to go NY without the kids too often, so when I got the opportunity, I booked a reservation at Tabla and was able to get one, luckily for us, for the very next night. Service was attentive, food was excellent-the cute little cup of complimentary soup, my appetizer of crab cake was delectable, the dessert was awesome, the bread was amazing (but very filling). My husband ordered the tasting menu and he was pleased with it. The only thing I didn't like my main course of Beef Short ribs, and the waitress didn't bother to stop by to ask how our entree was. But I was so full and satiated by that point I did not make an attempt to call her over to order something else instead, which I am sure they would have obliged to, as they changed my husband's drink until he found something that he liked. We would definitely go again, and recommend it to friends, as the flavors of the dishes were quite unique. It was well worth it, as I am a gourmet cooking instructor and am hard to please when it comes to food. more
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Did Not Meet Expectations 2/8/2004

I went into Tabla with big expectations after having dined at Eleven Madison. The food was a bit disappointing and it had way too much cilantro. I am a big fan of Danny Meyer, but this is certainly not his best. Stick to Gramercy and the like. Pros: Ambiance more
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Very Pleasing 2/7/2004

We visited Bread Bar during January restaurant week and were so pleased with the menu selections and service. Food quality was excellent, service was good (could be a little more attentive.) Portions were moderate...enough. Especially liked chicken tikka and the naan, and the dals. Could be pricey without a prix fixe meal. Pros: Great Space, Nice Staff, Innovative Food more
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Attention to detail 1/28/2004

Fantastic service. Everyone from the hostess to the coat check attendant to the waitress displayed professionalism and care. Food was far above my expectations given the fact that it was a busy lunch day during Restaurant Week. Go already! more
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disappointing the second time around 12/17/2003

Based on a visit a month ago, I returned the week before Christmas and was hugely disappointed. The menu changed, portions were even smaller than before, a lentil dish was salty beyond edibility, a basmati rice dish lacked flavor. The noise level was unbearable, conversation impossible. You can get an excellent meal at most of the many Indian restaurants on nearby Lexington Avenue for the cost of one the dainty dishes here. Pros: gracious service Cons: noisy, overpriced, bad food more
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Menu for Tabla Cart


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Editorial

  • The Scene
    Occupying a cavernous space in the Met Life Tower, the restaurant's soaring staircase, deeply stained woods and lush, curvilinear details make a striking impression. The second-floor dining room, itself gently bi-level, has a serious but relaxed air; smart, impeccably professional and engaging service creates a very comfortable dining experience.

    The Food
    This isn't Indian cuisine, but seasonings and techniques from the area lavishly spice up what would otherwise be competent and creative American food. Take roast chicken, to which a cumin jus and anise notes lend uncommon panache; or surreally succulent lamb enlivened by acutely tuned fruity curry flavor. A whole apple filled with roasted egetables and scented with Roquefort makes a striking starter, as does a handsomely composed crab and avocado salad with tamarind chutney in a papadum shell. The menu holds no letdowns: Desserts, like a cone of stiff kulfi with licorice, ot cinnamon souffle, extend dinner's spice into the sweet realm.

    High Marks
    "Tabla is an extraordinary eating experience. Each plate was bursting with flavor - try the tabla crab cake followed by the tapioca crusted shrimp and scallops." (evi, Citysearch user)\

    "The gleaming wooden staircase is lined with candles that seem to cast a magical glow on the whole place." (mariejulienne, Citysearch user)

    "I'm no expert on "Indian fusion" food, but everything I ate, from the naan to the kulfi, really impressed me." (cobraman332, Citysearch user)

    Low Marks
    "My only beef is the excessive use of salt. It wasn't necessary and only took away from the other spices that were working their magic." (mango_mama, Citysearch user)

    "One slight criticism would be timing...it seemed to take a little too long to get the entrees." (georgiboy, Citysearch user)

  • 9/24/2008 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Wed, noon-2pm and 5:30pm-10pm; Thu-Sat, noon-2pm and 5:30pm-10:30pm; Sun, 5pm-9pm
  • Payments: Discover, Master Card, American Express, Visa, Diner's Club
  • Neighborhoods: Midtown South Central, Midtown
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