| rev:text
| - My wife and I enjoyed a past visit to Tarbell's and signed up for their email list to learn of the two other business Mark Tarbell owns that are actually next door to one another - The Tavern and the The Wine Store. The email I received said that at The Tavern, for this one night only, they are offering "Beer-Battered Georges Bank Cod with Golden Fries, Fresh Coleslaw and Tartar Sauce, and your choice of a Beer or glass of Wine $25 per person (excluding tax and gratuity).
Having never been to The Tavern before, I didn't know what the expected wait time might be on a typical Friday night or if there was a dress code. Reservations can only be made for parties of 6 or more. I called them and spoke to 'Charlie' who let me know the place is small, but we will probably have no wait to be seated if we come in before 7:30pm. He asked for my name and said since he wasn't working in the evening, he suggested I ask to speak with "Corbin" when we arrive and to let him know this is our first time there. He also informed me there is no dress code and people dine there dressed up or in t-shirts and shorts.
We were seated right away, I asked to meet Corbin, and he introduced himself and welcomed us to the restaurant. My wife and I both order the fish and chips special (the regular menu was also available to order from). I had an IPA beer and my wife a Pino Noir. My wife ordered the deviled eggs appetizer and enjoyed it (I don't eat deviled eggs.)
The fish used in the fish and chips was as fresh as I've ever had. The batter was firm and stuck well to the fish, however, it was very bland. Some chefs believe the fish should be bland to pick up the flavors of the tartar, but I like to eat my fish plain. No lemon, no vinegar and no tartar. My wife and I both needed to add salt to give the fish a missing flavor. It was perfectly cooked. The fries were like steak fries, and nothing special there, but not bad, either.
We ordered the ice cream sandwich dessert and shared it. It was very good. The total bill was $68 + a $12 tip for our excellent server "Jordan" I think he said his name was...
The staff was attentive without being over-bearing. The atmosphere is nice without being pompous. If I could get a Tarbell's pizza at The Tavern, I would be there at least 3 times a month!
To eat a similar meal at Tarbell's, by comparison, one should dress nicer than a t-shirt and expect to pay at least another $20-$30 for the dinner tab. In that aspect, its like getting Tarbell's quality food at a discounted price, however, the menu's are not the same. I wouldn't be surprised if the staff offered to get me a pizza from next door, but I wouldn't feel right about ordering something 'special' even if it were an option. I'd just like to see it on the menu.
It was a bit loud in there and difficult to hold a conversation at times. But the staff all have personalities and make you feel welcome. Even when the gentleman came out to light all the candles at the tables, he struck up a unique conversation with each table as he lit their candle. Not just an 'excuse me, I'll be gone in a second' attitude, but "Hey, how's it going? Is everything good so far?" and, hence, a nice, friendly conversation as he went from table to table.
We'll definitely be back here (and Tarbell's too when I feel like opening the wallet a little bit wider.)
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)