Newfound Love for Asian Cuisine at Tabla

There are some Indian dishes that we never knew we liked until the skilled chefs at Tabla
Cuisine made them for us with the highest quality ingredients, including meat, herbs and peppers. The Chinese and Thai dishes at this restaurant are also spot-on.

But, before I address food, I must brag that Tabla displayed the magical trifecta of a quality restaurant: great service, atmosphere and food. The hospitality displayed by management and servers was outstanding, taking care of our every need - including food sensitivities. The atmosphere - the restaurant recently underwent a major renovation - is gorgeous. We loved the modern decor and the artistic china that our delicious food was served on.

Here are the top dishes you should try at Tabla:

1. Tabla Lamb Chops. The flavor and cook was perfect on these juicy, tender chops, which were served over a serving pot with burning charcoals. The presentation was impressive.

2. Lamb Biryani. The succulent Tandoori lamb is mixed in with a deeply-flavored rice, steeped in saffron and other herbs and served with quail egg.

3. Hara Murgh Kabob. Marinated with green chilies, mint and cilantro, I could eat these chicken kabobs every day.

4. Red Curry with Fish. The fish was cooked perfectly and the flavorful red curry sauce was much lighter than other Thai curries I have had. I would have enjoyed this dish a bit spicier. 

Sugar-free Kheer

5. Chocolate Samosa with Masala Chai Latte Ice Cream. We wanted to lick the plate.

6. Pineapple Kheer. A sugar-free rice pudding with cardamom and pineapple. This was such a nice, refreshing treat to end our meal.

7. Mango Lassi. The mango yogurt drink was well-balanced, light and refreshing.

8. Naan and Garlic Cilantro Naan. The breads were toasted to perfection and had a wonderful flavor.

We loved our experience at Tabla, and cannot wait for our next meal there. The best part was this classy introduction to certain Indian dishes which we now love.

Where: 5827 Caravan Ct., Orlando.

The Ups and Downs of Magical Dining Month

The great thing about Orlando's Magical Dining Month is that you get to try upscale restaurants that you normally wouldn't even be aware of. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of dining at Fiorenzo Italian Steakhouse, inside the Hyatt Regency Orlando on International Drive. I won the dinner for two from Visit Orlando on Twitter! I really appreciate all that Visit Orlando did to promote Magical Dining Month and make my experience wonderful.

While we loved some of the dishes on Fiorenzo's Italian Steakhouse Magical Dining menu, we were underwhelmed by others. For an appetizer, we chose the Calamari Fritti, which unfortunately was oversalted and unimaginative. However, the Cinnamon & Orange-Scented Lamb Ragout with ricotta and chocolate parpadelle was so delicious, we made sure to take leftovers so we wouldn't miss a bite. The lamb was cooked well, and the chocolate flavor was subtle.

Dessert was also delicious, particularly the Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich. The Vanilla Gelato with Berries tasted great, but was a bit boring. Unfortunately, this restaurant's Magical Dining menu was more limited than other Magical Dining menus we have seen, so there were not "safe staples" to choose from if one didn't like the two entree offerings. However, the presentation of the plates was beautiful.

I may try the regular menu at Fiorenzo sometime, and determine how I like the restaurant's food overall. I'm so happy that Magical Dining Month introduced me to a new Orlando restaurant - at least for me!