Tabla Bistro is located off 28^th and Davis, nestled in between chocolate shops and old Portland houses, the location makes the experience feel unique and relaxing. There were some excellent things to note about our experience at Tabla Bistro. The Dining Month prix fixe was three dishes off of the regular menu paired carefully for the best flavor combination and value. Each portion was well thought out, the flavors of each dish did not supersede the one before. The ambience was comfortable, and nice. The service was excellent and for a Tuesday night Tabla Bistro was bustling with business.

What I don’t normally care for with 3-Course menus is the requirement to make one dish of the prix fixe your dessert. Tabla Bistro recognizes this; their 3-Course menu offers an appetizer, pasta, and entrée, which allowed for me to opt into the dessert in the end. For my Dining Month three-course prix fixe I began with the Farmer’s Market Lettuces, followed with the Tajarin truffle butter house-made pasta, and closed with their delectable Forbidden Rice Risotto. The food was rich with flavor, fresh, and well thought out. My guest veered a little with her salad selection, and tried their Spring Vegetable Salad, which she elegantly licked clean from the plate.

In my opinion, not including the dessert in the prix fixe was well thought out, because the second I heard that they offered a Chai Gelato I had to order it. I was able to try more during my dinner, and still jumped at the chance for dessert even though I had already eaten three courses. The Chai Gelato was the perfect combination of something comforting and light to finish off my meal.

My photos from dinner turned out awful, given that they were taken via candlelight, however thanks to The Oregonian I can show off the Tajarin that I was able to enjoy during my Dining Month experience. Let the salivating begin!

Yes, it’s true.  In addition to running Watershed, Lisa also runs the coolest wine event in town.  Lisa founded the festival in 2004 to celebrate Oregon’s incredible independent craft winemakers – many of these guys do not have tasting rooms and all make fewer than 2500 cases of wine per year.  The Indie Wine Festival is modeled after the Sundance Film Festival (it’s the only juried wine festival out there) and is set up like a farmer’s market (you can buy direct from the winemakers while you have your fill of bites from PDX’s top chefs).  This is one ticket you won’t regret buying, so if you haven’t already, get to it!  The festival is THIS Saturday at the Bison Building.  Buy tickets here.

Last Friday, The Oregonian’s Sara Perry caught up with Lisa to chat Indie wine.  Check it out here and see below.