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It made me sad to hear that Tabliers has closed. I don’t know where, to start or how to say how I feel, but this fine dining spot, owned and managed by Nicholas Vulgarides, has closed. The country’s economic situation is bad, for sure, but we Lebanese only want to go out to trendy spots like Mar Mikhael, Dbayeh and Badaro, forgetting about the hidden gems where good food is being served. Some small entrepreneurs have put all their effort in starting their own businesses and we tend to forget about them.
I’m not sure that I would have written a third review about my superb experience at Tabliers, since I’ve already expressed my appreciation to the man behind this concept, his cooking skills and the place itself. So I’ll just add the photos with a small description, a way of saying goodbye, hoping to hear from Nicolas sometime in the near future.
That night, trying to order all the items of the menu, we tried two additional pizzas, the pasta, a couple of salads and surely the famous chocolate cake, which hasn’t changed since they first opened.
Dinner was good as always:
- Flammekueche pizza or Tarte flambée is an Alsatian dish composed of bread dough rolled out very thin in the shape of a circle, which is covered with crème fraîche, thinly sliced onions and bacon. This pizza is awesome! Amazing aromas of cheese and grilled onions, fresh cream and grilled bacon all at the same time are guaranteed to make you drool.
- Trio de quinoa, figues et pomme verte au curaçao d'orange:This beautifully decorated salad is served on a round plate. A trio of quinoa, mixed with bits of fig, crunchy apples and the orange curaçao that makes all the difference. Perfectly cooked quinoa, along a blend of rich flavors and interesting textures create a perfect salad, up to the standard of starred restaurants. The blend of the different ingredients, each adding a touch, a finesse all collaborate to put a smile on your face.
- Walnut and rocket salad with six different salad leaves and a lemon sauce
- The Grilled Chicken:That’s the plate I personally ordered and enjoyed to the last bite. Half a chicken, perfectly marinated, amazingly grilled and so juicy it will make you want to lick your fingers. A grilled aftertaste, perfectly cooked chicken, which I ordered with wild rice and sautéed green beans. Next to that is a mustard sauce, I closed my eyes to enjoy it and remember it for the rest of my life.
- Linguine aux calamars: A pasta many Italian restaurants don't know how to master. Cooked al dente, like they should be, and mixed with a perfect homemade white sauce. Look at the picture, you might want to count the calamari to confirm the generosity of this plate. Bravo!
- Filet de boeuf:A perfectly cooked, tender meat, that's for sure, but the sauce that comes with it is to die for. Waw! The plate is served with freshly-cut potatoes laid along side the meat.
- The Bresaola Pizza: Rocket leaves and shredded parmesan. Bresaola, Italian parmesan. This is an awesome pizza, and, like all the others revisited the French way, has a dough like no other. Ingredients include a rich cheese you’ll never have tasted before, Italian parmesan, rocket leaves and a generous quantity of sliced bresaola. The dough is unique! Exquisite to say the least, the pizza really has a certain finesse, making it the kind of fine dining pizza I've not often had.
- Tarte au Chocolat Coulant: On my last visit, I left dessert as a surprise, I didn’t describe this finger licking, amazing dessert. I will do the again, encouraging you to discover it for yourself... just enjoy the photo in the meantime.
Dinner was exceptional, and we couldn't stop looking at each other in amazement. Why should only famous names work? What does the location have to do with the success of a restaurant? I’m sorry to tell you that Tabliers has closed… After Chez Sophie, which was my favorite place in Lebanon, now another place I like has gone. I’m hoping that we’ll still have quality restaurants in town for the years to come.
