Table 301’s newest concept, Tavola, has been popping up in town over the past few months as it gets closer to opening.
The restaurant has made appearances at events like BridgeWay Station’s grand opening and Great Wall Gala, with teasers of its menu including dishes such as arancini or Bolognese. Tavola is the restaurant group’s first concept outside of downtown Greenville and with that, has created anticipation.
“Folks that don’t have the opportunity to afford the time every night to come into downtown, they can hopefully enjoy us out here at BridgeWay and it’s closer to neighborhoods,” said Carl Sobocinski during an April interview.
Sobocinski founded Table 301 in 1997 with Soby’s New South Cuisine. The group has since spurred several concepts, including The Lazy Goat, Nose Dive, Camp, The Jones Oyster Co., Southern Pressed Juicery, and Table 301 Catering.
Dining area
Table 301 held a media preview Sept. 13 for Tavola that offered a glimpse at the Italian-inspired space. Soft shades of terra cotta, olive green and natural wood greet guests, and natural light peeks in from all around, shining through the glass wine cases built and designed by Kessick Wine Cellars.
The corner bar is made with a Colorado gold marble, a unique choice for a restaurant bar given marble’s porous nature and propensity for staining, but it should patina as it ages.
During a first look when the space was still in preliminary stages of development, Table 301 Creative Director Katie Thompson hinted there might eventually be a wine window for outside dining similar to those found in Italy. At the Sept. 13 preview, the wine window was confirmed and is coming soon.
Tavola menu highlights
Now, let’s talk food. Here are some highlights of the menu:
Starting off strong, the autumn vegetable panzanella will be on the menu with cruciferous greens, house-made focaccia croutons, sweet potato, butternut squash, goat cheese and a maple balsamic vinaigrette that capture all the flavors of fall without weighing down the diner.
Tavola’s arancini is made with arborio rice, parmesan and truffle honey. The umami flavors of truffle stand out against the warm rice, giving way to a bite that is as explosive on the palette as its texture. The arancini hit the table moments after the panzanella, releasing a whiff of its tartufo aroma.
Spaghetti carbonara was rich and creamy. That’s surprising, considering it’s a true Italian carbonara utilizing only guanciale, peppercorn and Parmigiano crisp.
Whole roasted branzino is a show-stopping, crispy preparation that takes on a creative display once it’s plated. It rests atop a vegetable medley and tomato gremolata for a bite that touches all corners of the palette.
Finally, the restaurant offers a house-made limoncello as a digestif that’s just boozy enough to wake you up and clean the palette without overpowering its citrus flavor profile.
An exact opening date was not given, but expect to get word shortly after euphoria Greenville comes to a close Sept. 22.
