Tabule — Restaurant in Toronto

A solid 3.5 rating... better than average but it has some little things that didnt push it to a 4 star.

After hearing many good things and reading numerous awards given to Tabule on their food, I finally grabbed a reservation on a Saturday to hopefully enjoy their back patio. Well, mother nature has her own mind and it rained us out but we still were able to enjoy some really good food. Over in Leslieville, Tabule was clearly a popular spot as every table had a reserved sign on it and people were constantly being turned away.

We were quickly greeted and welcomed to our table. The room is nicely done and doesn't scream the traditional kitchsy design of palm trees, tajines, or peaked arches. It's a lovely space with dark walnuts, clean modern lighting, and pops of colour. Our tables were close to the other ones but I can see how popular this place was that they need to pack it in.

Service here is warm, friendly, and very quick. After ordering drinks, only a few minutes later it showed up at our table. After ordering, our mezze appetizer appeared in less than 5 minutes. It's all quick here! The atmosphere and service is a clear 4 star but the food is where it started to falter. The appetizers were a clear 4 star but the mains was clearly underseasoned and flavoured but they were well cooked.

Sampler platter of Hummus, Tabule, and baba ganoush - This arrived with freshly warmed pitas and ohhh this was good. Bright and bold tabule was fresh with a hit of lemon and nice chunks of tomato and chick peas. The hummus was very creamy with a healthy dose of garline and the baba ganoush was the best. Perfect balance of lemon, garlic, and tahini with the creamy egg plant. It was a nice touch that they refilled it unprompted

Lentil soup - If you love soup get this! Oh this was full on flavour and so creamy! This is very good. I remember just wanting to horde this to myself. Lovely flavours of garlic, cumin, and onions.

Falafel Salad as an entree - Though this is in the appetizer section, this could easily double as a main if you get the appetizers. It comes with perfect crunchy falafel and a generous amount of a simple salad. I've read Tabule Falafel are great and I do agree their well cooked... not dripping in oil but it had a good crunchy exterior with a moist interior. What made me not enjoy it as much was that it was missing all the seasoning and spices. It needed salt and I didnt taste the cumin, garlic, parsley... nothing. It was a very plain chickpea flavour. Thankfully we had some hot sauce to save it.

Lamb skewers - Another generous dish ... rice was enough to feed two people and it came with some roasted vegetables. The lamb had a light gamey flavour in a good way and it was very well cooked. Just perfectly medium and still very tender. The only concern was that there was no seasoning... no salt, no pepper. It was very plain in flavour.

Overall, it is a good restaurant with some great appetizer but their mains just need some flavour to kick it up and...

Traditionally, the tabule in the sampler platter ($22) wouldn’t be gluten-free due to it’s use of bulgur wheat. As a result, the kitchen substitutes quinoa into the finely chopped parsley, tomato, and onion salad instead, which gives it a finer and more delicate consistency. I love mixing the citrusy tabule with smoky rich babaganoush and sandwiching a spoon of it into the thin and chewy laffa ($3.95 a piece), it’s a great way to start the meal.

In fact, you can make a whole meal from their starters with the host of other mezze options gracing the menu. From the inexpensive assorted pickles ($4.50) made up on turnips, olives, hot peppers, and dill pickles to something warm and comforting like the aaranbeet ($8.95), which is unbattered fried cauliflower that’s tossed with tahini creating a warm nutty bite.

Tabule’s falafel salad ($14.95) continues to impress, the crispy chickpea and fava bean nuggets are deliciously fluffy, moist, and flavourful putting other falafels to shame. I do find the vinaigrette overly acidic (mixing a bit of tahini into it helps) and the dressing could use a hit more salt. If you’re not into super lemony salads, I’d stick with ordering the falafels solo.

The warak enab ($12.95) is also overly citrusy, which is a shame as the stuffed grape leaves are a great consistency – the leaves delicate and soft and the rice not too mushy. If only Tabule tones down the lemon seasoning and augments the tomato, garlic, and other spices instead.

For something filling, go for the eggplant meal ($16.95) where slices of aubergine are fried until soft and topped with tahini and pomegranate creating a salty, sweet, and nutty main. The sauces and juices go equally well when soaked into the mujaddara, a fragrant rice studded with lentils and onions. If things become too oily or heavy, have a bite of grilled vegetables that round...

A Taste of the Mediterranean at Tabule: Simply Superb! My recent visit to Tabule was an absolute delight, and I can't wait to return. From the moment we were seated, the experience was top-notch, largely thanks to our incredible server, Chantal. She was not only remarkably quick and efficient but also genuinely friendly, making us feel welcome and well-cared for throughout our meal. We started with the assorted pickles, a vibrant and tangy introduction to the meal, followed by the sampler platter. This was a fantastic way to taste a few of Tabule's highlights. The labneh was creamy and tangy, the babaganoush smoky and rich, and the hummus smooth and flavorful. Each dip was delicious on its own and even better with the accompanying pita. For our main courses, we opted for the kafta and the garlic shrimp. The kafta was perfectly seasoned and grilled, tender and juicy. However, the garlic shrimp truly stole the show. The portion was surprisingly generous, and the shrimp themselves were cooked to perfection, bathed in a luscious garlic sauce that was simply divine. Every bite was a burst of flavour. To complement the meal, I ordered the Fraya cocktail, and it was exactly what I needed – light, refreshing, and the perfect accompaniment to the flavorful food. Overall, my experience at Tabule was exceptional. The food was undoubtedly top tier, each dish showcasing fresh ingredients and authentic flavours. And the service, especially from the wonderful Chantal, elevated the entire experience. If you're looking for delicious Mediterranean cuisine with fantastic service, look no further than Tabule. Highly...