Taboon
- Katherine Chen
- Feb 5, 2018
- 2 min read
Hell's Kitchen
I was so excited to finally try Taboon for restaurant week after walking past it every day from work. Taboon is an upscale Mediterranean/Mid-eastern restaurant on 10th avenue that has a cozy feel right when you walk in with the big oven burning and the soft lighting. It's buzzy but not too loud and the clientele is a mix of dates and families since it's also a neighborhood spot. The restaurant week menu included choices like beef tartar, ceviche, octopus or a trio of dips for the table for the appetizer. For the entrée there was lamb, roasted squash, and a deconstructed lasagna with oxtail. For dessert ice cream or crepes.
Out of the appetizers, the bread for the dips (which was pulled straight out of the open, was by far a standout). The tartar was also quite tender and flavorful. The octopus was a bit bitter but was not overcooked and still very soft which I appreciated. As for the entrée, the lasagna was good and hearty with the braised bits of oxtail delicious however I couldn't help but look enviously at my tablemates that ordered the lamb shanks which looked extremely tender and juicy with marbled pieces of fat. The dessert course was delightfully light and I really enjoyed the halva, pistachios and rice crackers on top of the ice cream. I only wish there had been a better balance of the components because I was left with a bowl of just halva by the end.
For the atmosphere alone, Taboon was fantastic and the food obviously had great ingredients. I'd like to come back and try more of their meat entrees instead of opting for pasta at a Mediterranean restaurant like a hungry newb as well as their brunch on Sundays.
773 10th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Monday-Friday: 5pm-11pm
Saturday: 5pm-11:30pm
Sunday: 11am-3:30pm, 5pm-10pm
(212) 713-0271