Light Bites at Tabla Indian Cuisine

I recently had light tapas and cocktails at Tabla, an Indian restaurant on 12th and Crescent in Midtown. Robyn and I had met Hersh at Atlanta Green Drinks the week before, and were keen to take him up on his recommendation to try Tabla, since we'd mentioned our Indian meal at Dr. Bombay's back in January. Walking from my car to the restaurant, I was enchanted by the blanket of fog settled softly on the canopies of nearby skyscrapers. There was something so still about the evening, kind of like muted twilight, and it made me pull out the camera and take a few pictures.

I have been known to lose track of time wandering around sometimes, and my dinner dates did think I was having trouble finding the place! But eventually I got my head out of the clouds and made my way inside.

Inside, the restaurant had a trendy yet approachable feel to it, and I've got to give them six stars for outstanding cocktails. Personally, I tend to prefer "grown man drinks", like whiskeys and bourbons, mules and dirty martinis. In other words, if you hand me a Cosmopolitan cocktail, I will most likely hand it right back.

But lately I've been in a mode to try new things, so I jettisoned my tried-and-true selections and picked a couple that caught my eye. I was very pleasantly surprised.

Hands down, the Vesper was a winner for me. Partly because I love that word, but also because the flavor was unexpectedly fragrant and multi-dimensional. Highly recommended.

The dinner was a blur of laughter and chatting, punctuated by plates, platters, and bowls of Indian food that Hersh picked for us.

I couldn't have asked for a lovelier evening. These two are a hoot. I read somewhere recently that we should endeavor to share a two-hour meal with others at least once a week. I think that, while I eat with friends frequently, with a busy schedule, it's not always possible or a priority.

So I will definitely work on that more in 2015! Perhaps a weekly potluck?

You'll find Tabla at 77 12th St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309.