Tabla

I am very excited to share this restaurant review with you, but I'm very sad to tell you that one of my favorite restaurants, Tabla in New York City, will be closing for good at the end of this year.

Tabla was one of my family's favorite restaurants when I attended Fordham University for two years. In 2001 my mom found Tabla in a list of New York City's best restaurants, so we decided to try lunch there. It was love at first bite. Because of all of the delicious and intricately flavored dishes I've had in India, I was in love with the Indian flavors that touched each dish. My mother never developed the same passion for Indian food, but she enjoyed the fusion cuisine that combined different flavors in new and unique ways. That was a while ago now, and I was still enthralled with Manhattan, but I remember we went there on a very cold, gloomy day and found refuge in the perfectly spiced dishes and warm teas. We ate and ate with bankers and businessmen around us, sad when we had to return to the cold and misty weather, but happy that the good food had warmed us.

Near the end of our trip in Connecticut, my boyfriend Serrano and I stayed with his brother Poblano, who lives in Manhattan. I had mildly entertained the idea of eating at Tabla while we were there, but I knew it was a little out of our price range. However, I did show Poblano information about Tabla, thinking he might be able to eat there during restaurant week, but I noticed in many yelp reviews that the restaurant would be closing December 30th of this year. It didn't take my two fellow foodies much convincing that we should eat lunch there the next day. It wasn't like we'd get another chance.

We showed up for a reservation at 2 pm the next day, two of Serrano's friends from Connecticut in tow. Before the hostess reached for our menus so that she could seat us, she looked at us all and said, "We're happy to have you."

We sat in a corner booth downstairs, and the large windows gave a pleasant view of Madison Square Park. When our server came to get our drink orders,  I asked for a limbu pani (lime juice and water) with vodka. She told me that no one had ever ordered that before, but thought it was a good idea for a drink. Whenever I've had limbu pani in India it's always been served with flat water, but the lime juice mixed with sparkling water gave it an edge I really enjoyed, and I couldn't taste the vodka, which was perfect.

We asked our server why Tabla would be closing its doors for good, and from her answer it was clear that the recession had hit the restaurant quite hard. Tabla is a two-story restaurant and can handle a large capacity of people, but its size had become a problem. When I ate there in the past, it was almost always crowded, and there were so many servers that they would literally sweep the table with everyone's dishes at once. I also loved that they would notice when everyone was done, and then at least two servers came and picked up everyone's dishes at once. That small attention to detail, along with the amazing dishes, made Tabla one of my favorite restaurants.

This time, however, we decided to order a few dishes from the lunch menu and split them. The first dish we had was a Wild Mushroom Fricassee, which had polenta, coconut milk, and black cumin. We all loved the combined textures of the polenta and mushrooms, and the flavors were great.

Directly in front of where I was sitting, covered by napkins to keep it warm, was a treat all the boys indulged in--Naan stuffed with Chili Cheddar Cheese. I didn't eat it, but they all thought it was delicious and politely devoured it. Before I went gluten free Naan was one of my all time favorite breads, but I'd never tried it without garlic and butter smothered all over it. I think that this was a clever idea and a perfect example of fusion food.

To the left of it was Scottish Salmon Ceviche, which was served with pomegranate, pineapple, and almonds. It was quite good and fresh, but not an all-around favorite. Poblano and I quite liked it, and between the two of us, we finished it off.

To the right of that dish is the Goan Guacamole, which was served with lotus root chips, which you can see to the left of the Guacamole. I'm not usually a fan of lotus root, but these must have been cooked two different ways so that they were crispy and crunchy, not thick and hard. They were a perfect and healthy alternative to chips, and I would even try recreating them at home. The Goan Guacamole was good and had some Indian flavors in it, but Serrano and I loved it best when we mixed it with some of the Mint Chutney (that green soupy-looking stuff to the far right) we ordered on the side, which, by the way, was worth the extra cost. Mint Chutney is probably our favorite garnish, especially with Indian food, and Tabla's version did not disappoint.

Above the Guacamole was the Hamachi Tartare, which was served with green tomatoes, peanuts, and Pasilla de Oaxaca Chile. This dish went pretty quickly, and I thought it was very good. And, once again, it was a perfect example of how to fluidly fuse the cuisines of two very different regions together.

See the dish that looks like a miniature version of a taco salad? That was Tabla's Crab Cake, which was served with Goan Guacamole and Tamarind Chutney. The shell was made from papadum, which is normally served in Indian restaurants as a snack. I loved the idea of making a shell like that out of papadum, and it went perfectly with the crab cake. That dish also went very fast, and to have the perfect bite you had to combine all the elements at once--the papadum, crab cake, guacamole, tamarind chutney, and watercress. It was delicious.

Above the Crab Cake you can see the Tandoori Black Pepper Prawns with coriander seeds and black pepper. Those went first. We passed them around and they were gone. Everyone loved them. I wish there had been more of them. Tandoori, coriander, and pepper are some of my favorite flavors, and they were perfect on the prawns.

For dessert I enjoyed a trio of their freshest sorbets. They were lovely and--best of all--dairy and gluten free.

I am very happy that my last memory at Tabla was a very positive one. We tried a variety of dishes, all of which our server agreed were delicious, and the service was excellent as usual. Since the restaurant was about to close to set up for dinner, it was nicely quiet inside. I am very sad to see this restaurant close, but I was very pleased that Tabla is everything I remembered it to be: an excellent version of Indian fusion that excites and satisfies the palate.

Street

A few months ago, my mother suggested we try Susan Feniger's new restaurant in Los Angeles called Street. If you are not familiar with Susan Feniger, I believe she is a chef definitely worth knowing of. Together, she and Mary Sue Milliken were nicknamed the "Too Hot Tamales", they wrote Cantina: The Best of Casual Mexican Cooking (Casual Cuisines of the World) and opened two restaurants, Ciudad in Los Angeles, and the Border Grill in Santa Monica (later one opened at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas).

Street, however, is Susan Feniger's first solo project. She traveled to many different countries to sample street food from which to create her own recipes. What results is a large, amazing menu that is not self righteously ethnic; it simply is. I will admit, it's tough to go and not drool over items such as the Turkish doughnuts. Hopefully though you will have someone unlike my father, who ordered them, much to my dismay.

What struck me most was the friendly notice on the bottom of the menu asking me to inform my server of any food allergies I may have. Reading this always gives me a feel of calm, since I won't have to be nervous about harassing my server in a (usually) loud setting so that I won't get sick from what I eat. I have to say that most servers are friendly about this, and my server at Street was no different. He checked immediately with the staff about what oils were used, and if any other allergens would cause problems. He also came back with the kitchen staff's suggestions for what I should eat, which was very helpful.

Since we were there for brunch on Sunday, I had a breadless version of Your Way, which is a simple yet tasty standard breakfast. My mother (who is my most staunch supporter) ordered the Korean Rice Salad, which our server recommended, saying he ate it for lunch weeks in a row. It was delicious, and it's a dish that does not make you conscious about what you're not eating. Instead, you're enjoying the medley of rice, fish, and egg.

I also contacted Street, and the Sous Chef Christine Brashear sent me a very helpful email back. Here is some of what she wrote:

We take great pride in accommodating to those who have specific allergies and/or dietary restrictions. I know that sometimes it can be challenging to navigate around a menu that is as eclectic as ours, but we really emphasize with our wait staff what items do include nuts, dairy, and wheat gluten. With a combination of training along with a genuinely astute staff, we are able to be sensitive to the needs of our guests.

She then included a list of foods that are gluten and dairy free from the Dinner Menu.

Gluten Free (all dishes are as is, no substitutions necessary)

millet puffs, served complimentary upon arrival

Acaraje, Brazilian black eye pea fritters

Moroccan Squash

Fried Plantains with coconut chutney and curry leaves

Moscow style roasted eggplant

Toasted amaranth with toasted almonds, corn, sweet potatoes and almond milk

Peking Quail with chestnut rice and tea steeped prunes

Massamum beef curry

Dairy Free (all dishes are as is, no substitutions necessary)

Cous Cous Tabbouleh,

Thai rice noodles

Indonesian Peanut noodles

Massamum beef curry

Tatsutage fried chicken (egg)

Albacore tuna steak

Toasted amaranth

Japanese shiso shrimp (egg)

Mandoo vegetable dumplings (egg)

Ono sashimi (egg)

Chinese broccoli

Moscow style eggplant

She also mentioned that many of the dishes can be adjusted as well, which fortunately many of us are already professionals at. (By the way, those millet puffs they give you when you sit down are amazing. They have marshmallows inside and curried puffed millet on the outside. It's beyond yummy.)

When I looked at the website, I was also pleased to find much information about what makes Street green. I was very happy to find out that they only serve sustainable seafood (like Black Cod, Barramundi, and Artic Char) and do not serve Tuna or Swordfish. The restaurant only works with natural and organic farms, uses an in-house Reverse Osmosis water purification system to avoid purchasing water (which then wastes bottles), and the restaurant has a composting and recycling program that leaves them with only 3% pure waste.

Only recyclable and bio-degradable products are used for the to-go containers, and the decor itself is made from recycled materials. The bar tops, counter tops, bathroom sinks, and outdoor tables are all made with a Forest Stewardship Council approved material derived from recycled paper.

And believe me, you cannot tell. The decor is a bit like the Border Grill, but has its own trend to it that is a catchy cross between retro and city. There is a bar with creative cocktails, seats for large parties, and an upstairs area where live music plays on the weekends. If you live in the area or happen to visit, I recommend visiting Street. Susan Feniger's reputation never disappoints; her cultured culinary skills always shrine through.

Street
743 No. Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 203-0500