As I mentioned in this post about our trip to New York, we had a great dinner at Tabla, an Indian fusion restaurant recommended to us by Alaina. Tabla has a more casual counterpart, Bread Bar at Tabla, on the first level of the restaurant.
The dinner was expensive -- the most we've ever spent for one meal. We justified it because it was our birthday celebratory meal and because we were in New York. Let me just say that nothing makes one feel more like a pampered, over-privileged member of society than spending a good chunk of a rent payment on one dinner. Despite my initial urgings not to splurge, the seven various wine offerings helped me stomach the cost. Unfortunately, this same wine caused me to call most of my family members to let them know how much I loved them. To which my mother responded: "Oh, you're a happy drunk!"
About the dinner: It was our first experience with a Chef's tasting menu so the idea that each course was to be a surprise was quite exciting. As we received the cutlery and wine for the next course, we tried to guess what we were about to receive. Since I had asked our waiter for no "rabbit, duck, veal or lamb" (cute animals, basically), we were treated to a host of fish dishes. My favorite courses from the tasting menu were the Rice Flaked black sea bass, Seared Australian King Prawn and scallop and Rhubarb sorbet with Gewurztraminer soup.
For those interested in the Chef's Market Menu that was prepared for us, I've posted it below.
Tabla's Crab Cake
Papadum, avocado salad and tamarind chutney
Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve (Mareuil-Sur-Ay) NV
Hamachi Tartare
Cucumber, pickled onion and chaat maslala
Villa Wolf (Pfalz Germany) 2001
Spiced French sardines
Jicama-fennel slaw and pickled lime
Pinot Gris, Villa Wolf (Pfalz Germany) 2001
Seared Australian King Prawn and scallop
Spiced tomato risotto, pea shoots and cherry tomatoes
Bourgogne, "La Combe," Marc Colin (Cote D'Or) 2001
Rice Flaked black sea bass
Cherrylane farms eggplant, lobster mushrooms and tamarind-jaggery glaze
Hugel (Riquewihr, Alsace) 2001
Grilled aged striploin of beef and shortrib ravioli
Black Tuscan Kale, chanterelles, bacon and horseradish
Cabernet Franc, Schneider (North Folk) 2000
Rhubarb sorbet with Gewurztraminer soup
Warm chocolate tart
with passion fruit caramel spiced rum ice cream
Black Mission fig samosas
Port wine sauce and honey-mascarpone mousse
Taylor Fladgate, 20-year Tawny (Oporto)
Petits fours, coffee and Tablas Teas
