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