Tabla

06/07/2008 Posted by ladybugtea

We have been going to Tabla since they first opened and we love it!!! Its a great place with awesome service! Love IT!!

02/11/2008 Posted by segway

We have been loyal fans of Tabla for years - when they dropped the 3 course prix fixe dinner option we lost our enthusiasm and it felt as if the energy of the place took a dip as well - we went this past weekend and were so pleasantly surprised that not only is the 3 course prix fixe option back but the food is better than ever - it is and remains our favorite

Pros: service

Cons: parking

10/30/2007 Posted by pomegranates

I had to write this review after reading the previous one. We also went to Tabla on our anniversary this month and had wonderful service and exceptional food. We sat at the bar by the kitchen and met friendly Paul, who gave us great recommendations and made our food. All of our appetizers and entrees were unique and delicious with the whole farm to table philosophy. Our waitress was friendly and also brought us a special complimentary dessert wine and chocolates for our anniversary. They also served very good and affordable half bottles of wine for those wanting cocktails/beer AND just a LITTLE wine with dinner. I wish more restaurants in Portland were like Tabla and we will definitely be back for more!

Pros: attentive service, quality of food

Cons: none!

10/20/2007 Posted by himaintenance

What’s up??? We have been a good customer of Tabla , and have enjoyed the food and atmosphere since it opened in 2003. We were patrons in July of this year and the experience was fabulous. But after picking Tabla to be the place of our anniversary dinner the other night, we were shocked, dismayed and thoroughly disappointed. The menu was average, the staff slow, the electricity and energy from this place was gone. What changed since July??????? We really don’t know if we will return.

04/23/2007 Posted by deliciojones

Right after Tabla opened a friend described it as grossly over-priced with miniscule portions. Years later, after much prodding from the significant other, I finally went. How silly of me to take a review to heart right after the restaurant opened! As a result I’ve been missing out on the joy that is Tabla for years! Let me start off by saying that while the service was charming and fine, they clearly aren’t focusing on dropping appropriate silverware prior to delivering the food, or crumbing the table, and the like. However, you barely notice since the food is absolutely incredible… oh the food. I salivate as I type. I’m sure the menu changes frequently, as they introduce regional specialties from around the world each month, however, I will cross my fingers that the perfectly prepared Hawaiian ono remains on the menu indefinitely. The prix fixe menu is an incredible bargain, which might make one hesitate, quantity over quality, but rest-assured those fellas know their way around the kitchen. If you can, go on a Tuesday – as we randomly did – they have a special $20 wine list, bringing our 4 course, truly special meal w/wine to merely $100! I thought I might get arrested for robbing them blind on our way out, but alas, I made it home safe.

Pros: Ono, value

Cons: ambiance and service a bit casual compared to the exemplary food

02/17/2007 Posted by dlish

We went about 7:30 on a Saturday night and were only able to get seating at the bar. Instead of doing the $29 price fixe we opted to share a few different dishes and enjoyed the appetizers, pasta dishes, and chocolate dessert. The bartender was very good at describing the food and wine dishes and despite her need to hustle on a busy night noticed she gave thoughtful attention to each of her customers. Impressed with the food and service -- we'll go back.

01/20/2007 Posted by andrew_bransford

Although the restaurant has the potential to be pretty great, the chefs seem to have made it their mission to take quality ingredients and mix them in strange combinations that, while somewhat tastey, do not live up to their intended purpose (i.e. "fine dining"). Don't get me wrong; had I paid only $30 for my meal, I might not feel so bitter about the experience. Unfortunately, my food alone cost $30. Add to this my incredibly overpriced drinks, and BAM!, I'm doling out more than $50 (with the 18% gratuity automatically added to our table's tab). Now, I would not mind so much, but I left thinking that I might like to drive thru to someplace where at least I get what I pay for. Don't get me wrong: it's not that the food is bad, but that it is pretentious to no good effect. I can't imagine that one would ever leave there satisfied and I'm sure they will leave there light in the wallet.

Pros: food is kind of good

Cons: cost too much (food is not prepared well enough for the price, drink prices are out of control)

11/10/2006 Posted by orangeappeal

first of all i am a pastry chef and i know about creme brulee it is served cold would you want warm pudding? cause that is what it would be and if you put it in the fridge after you torch it the sugar on top would turn to a liquid and would be goopy... please dont be one of those tightwad retards acting like you know all i dont tell my doctor what hes doing wrong....

10/25/2006 Posted by baltimore_oriole

I really like the concept of the three-course meal and three-glass of wine pairing. But that was where my enthusiasm for Tabla ended. While the beets were fantastic, the salad needed just a pinch of salt. However, the folks at Tabla don't put salt and pepper on the table. Perhaps chefs take offense at seeing people through the open kitchen seasoning their food, but they should get over that. And if it is an aesthetic thing, a tiny dish of sea salt is would look nice on the table. My second plate was the pappardelle with rabbit. My dining companion likened it to tuna casserole, which I think was a overly generous comparison. This dish was flat-out boring. The third plate was the pork chop, served with an heirloom tomato puree and an apple fritter. I just could not understand this dish. The pork was tough. They should consider searing it, then deglazing, rather than grilling. I didn't taste any heirloom tomatoes, but I sure did taste a lot of vinegar in the glaze. Holy pucker! Way unbalanced. And the apple fritter, left me thinking "huh?". It added nothing. Perhaps the most annoying thing about our experience at Tabla was dessert. We ordered the creme brulee. It was cold! I realize that creme brulee is often refrigerated before being pulled out to get torched, but the entire thing exhibited no degree of warmth whatsover. I pointed this out to the waiter, who claimed that he just watched it being prepared. Unless they immediately chilled it in the frige after being torched and then brought it to us, there's no way it could have cooled off that fast (which means he was lying). While the service was attentive throughout our meal, this encounter with the waiter left a bad taste in our mouths (which still lingered of vinegar from the pork). I might go back to Tabla, but there are a lot of other places that deserve a shot at my money.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

10/09/2006 Posted by foodie123456789

Wow! Best dinner I've had out in years, well since I lived in a bigger and more food oriented city actually. My friend and I each had three different courses and they were all delicious and beautifully presented. It was a lovely evening at an outside patio table with polite and attentive (but not overbearing or overly cheerful) service.

Pros: food, service, elegance

Cons: none