Tabella calls itself a community-supported restaurant, getting most, if not all, of the ingredients in its dishes from local organic farms. Their website has a multitude of creative things to do in Pioneer Valley, ranging from their travelling organic local farm and wine dinner to price listings for local organic produce you can purchase in bulk from their kitchen.
If you go before it gets too cold (i.e. tomorrow), the outside dining is beautiful. However, if you have to move inside, the décor is chic and tasteful; there are even cushions in the booths. The bar also seems to be a popular place. Tabella makes its own earl-grey infused vodka, and I’m told the martinis are extremely popular.
The service is quick; a moderately pretentious man introduced a tapas-style menu and rambled off some specials with every other word being either “local,” “organic” or “fresh.” Most importantly, the dishes come out when they are “at the peak of their nutritional value and flavorful integrity.” The wait staff provides entertainment as well, since half of our conversation revolved around imitating their uppity mannerisms and exaggerated cuisine descriptions.
As much as we tried to dislike their showy global responsibility, we had to admit that the food was incredible. We tried an amazing butternut squash and apple bisque with freshly baked bread, which, as Maryam Khan ’10 put it, was “earthy and rustic.” The salad, obviously locally grown, was served with a delicious homemade vinaigrette, and Christina Martinez ’10 had a risotto with shitake mushrooms, onions, and parmesan cheese that she said was “comfortable and delicious, but at the same time high-brow and adventurous”(quoted in the elaborate detail of the waiter). In other words, it was rice that tasted like really yummy pasta. I had a salmon dish with tomatoes and mashed potatoes that was also phenomenal.
The flavor was excellent, but I probably finished the salmon in two bites because of the small portion size. Although the menu is divided into small and large plates, I’m fairly certain I could actually eat the entire line-up in one sitting.
From what we tried, the chef and kitchen get pretty creative with the seasonal flavor combinations listed on the menu. In addition, the list of specials changes regularly, depending on the chef’s newest creations and the available local produce, so you can always expect to find something new and delicious to try.
The quality and taste of the food makes the prices worthwhile, but plan to go and spend a good bit of money. If you’re in the stuff-your-face mood, better go another day, or you may end up making a mad dash to Antonio’s after.
Overall, the restaurant is sleek and inviting, a great way to end the week with a good meal. As long as you know what to expect when you go there, that is.
You can find out more at their website, www.tabellarestaurant.com.