Let me start off with saying, if I could only eat one type of cuisine for the rest of my life, it would be Indian cuisine – the spices, the flavors, and the aroma lifts me into my own private paradise. Tabla is a contemporary Indian restaurant, that is the perfect spot to impress a date. The atmosphere is relaxed, yet modern and inviting. The service is impeccable – promptly seated, attentive staff, great recommendations, and even towel service at the end of your meal. This place is great to introduce newcomers to Indian cuisine – the spices won’t overwhelm you and it will entice you to try Indian cuisine all over the city.
Once you’re seated, every table is served a complimentary traditional Indian appetizer called papadum (chips made in-house) with three sauces/chutneys. We devoured these – but didn’t request a second round as we wanted to save room for the rest of our meal.
For appetizers, we ordered the lamb kebabs spiced with garlic and coriander, as well as, shrimp tandoori which is garnished with grilled onions.
For our entrees, we ordered the butter chicken entree with garlic naan (a flatbread) and coriander spiced lamb chops.
My favorite part of the meal was dessert. I would come back just for dessert – seriously, it was delicious. We ordered a traditional Indian dessert called Gulab Jamun – which are milk dumpings in a creamy pistachio milk sauce and a trio of ice creams: mango and chili sorbet, saffron and pistachios, and bournvita (a malted chocolate). Now wherever I go, I will be searching for bournvita and mango chili flavors – refreshing, sweet, and delicious.
For me, the service and the desserts made the experience. The bar is set high on how exceptional the staff treated us. My preference is for Indian food to be spicy, so next time I’ll tell them to take it up several notches. Also, I would note that the tables are on the smaller side at this location and just ordering two entrees with a side of naan and rice – our table was too packed to fit anything else. The ambiance is beautiful with the elegant chandelier hanging in the main dining area and the music set the tone for the evening. You guys know, I will judge a restaurant based on parking availability for patrons and thankfully, Tabla has a parking garage right next door and they validate!
I highly recommend making a reservation on OpenTable or calling Tabla directly, as they book up quickly. Enjoy!