Chef Floyd Cardoz's East-West cocktails and hors d'oeuvres are as unique as the rest of his cuisine.

Most chefs stay by the stove and leave the bar to the bartenders. Floyd Cardoz of Manhattan's Tabla, however, cares about every detail of his restaurant, down to the cocktails. Like Cardoz's cuisine, they are a unique fusion of Indian and Western flavors. The tamarind margarita was inspired by the huge tamarind tree he had in his yard growing up in Bombay. The Tablatini has a very different inspiration: Tabla's lemongrass-infused pineapple soup. You'll find six of Tabla's best cocktails here, plus three spicy appetizers to match.

--Kate Heddings

Published June 2002