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 food but let me enjoy it 12/14/2003

On a recent Saturday night, I was with a group of 5 at the Bread Bar. We ordered a number of appetizers, mostly chutneys and naan, and they were all enjoyable (the tomato chutney was amazing) aside from one thing.....by the time we were about to finish one dish, the next would be layed out on our table. Aside from the rushed service, we were very impressed with the food and the drinks. The chicken and steak were seasoned and cooked to perfection, and the lamb sandwhich is great for heartier appetites. Overall a worthwhile experience. Pros: Great Decor, Imaginative Drinks Cons: Rushed Service more
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Believe the bad reviews 12/5/2003

This place has so much going for it - cool atmosphere, relaxed feel and good menu. Too bad the portions are frighteningly small and service iffy at best. The food itself was actually pretty good - fried oxtrail purses were the best. Ceviche was good but there were about 4 strips of fish. The lamb "large plate" had big bones, but little meat. Yes, the prices SEEM afordable, but the portions are so small that you end up spending $100+ just to fill 2 people and get a couple drinks. Finally, the pacing of our meal was awful. Within 15 minutes of ordering, all of our plates had come out. We had to ask them to slow it down. It may be a "Bar," but that doesn't mean you should feel like you're at a buffet Pros: atmosphere Cons: bad pacing, latently expensive more
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A Nice Casual Experience 11/6/2003

I'm not always easy to please, but my experience at the Bread Bar was very nice. As a walk-in party of two, we were seated immediately; the service was enthusiastic and attentive. The food was delivered quickly and actually staggered perfectly; allowing us to start but not finish our tapas sized dishes before the next one arrived. "Bill loading?" Nope. We were only charged for what we ordered and ate. As for the food, the coriander shrimp was cooked perfectly, and the Pumpkin rhoti was tender and delicious. Finally, the pulled lamb and mashed potato "nanini", a "sandwich" served on crispy nan, was perfect. Beware of the overzealous bad reviews here. I have heard very few complaints about this place before visiting this site. Also, keep in mind that this is not formal dining, and probably not a best ever type of place, simply a very good restaurant/bar. more
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Horrendous Service! 10/21/2003

First it took almost 30 minutes to get our appetizers. All the dinner courses came out at different times and the last one didn't arrive until 45 minutes later. The food was okay at best -- the Chicken Tikka was dry and the sauce was so bitter it was unedible. The portions were barely there so we ordered sides of rice that were dry and cold. The waitress was hardly apologetic that one of our party members received his entree so late. She offerred us dessert on the house, but when we ordered more than one, she only gave us one of the desserts on the house. It took forever for her to pick up the bill. No apologies from our waitress. I will never eat there again and I will tell others to avoid it as well. So not worth the huge bill at the end of the night. Pros: Nada Cons: So-so food at best, Bad service more
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Nicely Done 10/13/2003

Tabla gets it right, and the service and ambience were perfect, however, I expected the food to be slightly more adventurous. Overall, this is a great place for a date or a romantic dinner. more
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Great indian 9/30/2003

I love the Bread Bar at Tabla. It is fun, great food and very reasonable, especially versus the dining room. The greatest aspect is the outdoor cafe in the summer, which is one of the best outdoor dining spaces in NYC. Pros: food, prices more
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Indian fusion food, exciting crowd 9/21/2003

This is more an India-theme restaurant than an Indian one, with hip riffs on Oriental flavors but no extremes in spicing. Fantastic setting both upstairs and down, outdoors in summer. An excited crowd paying pretty steep prices--nowhere else can you get Indian breads, tamarind margaritas, and a hip younger crowd all at the same time. A fave. more
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Beware Bill Loading 8/30/2003

Great food, great atmosphere, friendly but not necessarily prompt service but BEWARE they loaded our bill. Pros: Food Cons: Bill loading more
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Yummy and different 8/15/2003

Tabla is a special occasion restaurant for adventuresome people looking to try something off the beaten path. In other words, conserative types craving simpler things like grilled chicken or salmon probably would not appreciate Tabla's distinctive and unusual menu. I found the food to be as delicious and unique as the colorful decor, with a staff as friendly as they are knowledgeable. Highly recommended for anyone wanting try something new, different, and deliciously unordinary. more
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Disappointed 8/11/2003

I've had fabulous meals upstairs, so was excited to try the bread bar. Needless to say, I'd rather splurge upstairs than be so disappointed. The food was very average, although the prices would lead you to believe this food to be much better than your neighborhood Indian. They charge extra for condiments that are generally on the table (and you have to remember to ask for them), and the chicken tikka was so dry, I couldn't swallow it. Go elsewhere for Indian. Pros: Ambience, decent bar scene Cons: Mediocre food, inattentive service more
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MMMMMMMMMMM 8/5/2003

This was by far the best meal I have ever had. We went for our anniversary and had such a romantic and delicious dinner. We both got the vegetarian tasting. Not on the menu, but they will gladly prepare you a special, just-for-you, tasting if you request it. It was delicious and so special because we were the only ones in the restaurant who got to have it. My husband loved it, even though he's a real meat eater at heart. The service was excellent and overall, one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. You must try it! Pros: Yummy food, great service, dessert! Cons: Fairly pricey more
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wonderful experience 7/15/2003

my momcame to visit me from oregon and we had seen tabla on the food network on rachel rays show. we decidedto try it and were SO glad we did! we sat outside and the food was great. the vegtables were bought fresh from the grenwhich village market and the service was wonderful. it was nice to sit outside and see the park and all the taxi's for my moms first time in the city. i highly recomend it for lunch or a light dinner. more
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Could be better 7/12/2003

My husband and I went to tabla for dinner and except for the appetizer, the special tomato/fennel soup and the bread the main entree left much to be desired. The entree menu needs some innovation and changing. The wine and dessert was excellent!! Pros: great desserts/appeti Cons: entree so-so more
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OK 7/4/2003

The juxtaposition between the downstairs Bread Bar and the upstairs main dining room is not unlike the split personality at Meyer's Gramercy Tavern (where the front Tavern section is fun and casual and the rear main dining room is small, quiet, and, for some, a bit stuffy). As for the food, the bread is great; Skate, OK; Scallops; good. The main dining room is a bit exclusive (it's small and there isn't any background music). I always find the decor and Meyer's restaurants a bit too conservative to impress me, but nevertheless the atmosphere is still relaxing and in terms of the service, you always feel you're in good hands. Pros: Good Service, Quiet more
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great food...HORRIBLE SERVICE 5/4/2003

The past two times I've been to Tabla the food has been great. The service, though, has not. Our wine was not brought out until AFTER our entree was served. We waited TWO hours to get our entree, which they eventually did not charge us for...thank God. Refilling drinks is a foreign concept here. This place needs new management and new waitstaff. Pros: food Cons: waitstaff, management, organization more
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The Food 4/25/2003

We have dined at Tabla quite a few times and loved it until last night! There is barely a hint of an Indian influence anymore (except for menu descriptions.) The Risotto appetizer was great but the main course choices are no longer the imaginative and delicious items we used to enjoy. It consisted of the typical fish and meat dishes served at many 'designer' food places. My choice was Peking Duck (Indian?) - it was very fatty. We visit Meyer's restaurants frequently (love 11 Madison!) but doubt we'll return to Tabla. more
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Amazing Food! 4/23/2003

The scallops were the best I have ever had, and the chocolate passion-fruit dessert was amazing. The whole culinary experience was top notch. (my wife, ordered the steak, which wasn't imaginative like the other dishes - just run of the mill) Service was decent, but not very warm and friendly. Pros: Food more
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cooking 101 4/13/2003

The appetizers were good. No complaints, in fact, they were quite enjoyable. The nightmare begins with the entrees. The grill person neglected to remove the butcher's twine from the pork loin. The lobster was so undercooked the dept of health would have had field day. To make amends for this, they brought us an extra course, halibut fillet, which initially the waiter told us they had 86'd. The sauces on 3 of the entrees and most of the sides were way over seasoned (with salt). I think the sous needs to pay a little more attention to his line...and Mr. Meyer needs to pay a little more attention to Tabla. Pros: atmosphere, decor Cons: better management, service needs work, focus more on food more
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Great 4/2/2003

Had a most enjoyable time whether being their for a business or social diner the quality and quanity of every meal was great. Having had diners at other Indian resturants the surrounds,staff and most of all the food is far better at Tabla's. more
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It Rocked! 4/2/2003

It Rocked! Take great food, awesome service, amazing hospitality and throw it all into a blender and that's what we got at Tabla on our last visit. We'll definitely be back soon! 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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