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| - So Tarbell's is a nice place to eat, with friendly people, and a good neighborhood crowd. The servers, the bussers, the hostesses, everyone is nice. I can't stress that enough.
We were ridiculously excited to try the food, after hearing so much about it for so long. It was like the excitement you get when someone tells you they are taking you on vacation to the most beautiful place on earth but you don't know where. You know, when you just are awaiting something spectacular but you don't really know how spectacular?
The mussel appetizer was outrageous. There was a bowl of probably 50 of the biggest meatiest suckers I'd ever seen. Served with a garlic butter broth that I ordered more and more bread just to sop up... it was amazing. We went straight to the main courses afterward, which were much less appetizing to look at, and even more so to eat. I ordered the Ahi Tuna, which was served in three cubes, very similar to a tuna tartare appetizer. Served dusted in smokey paprika, it was almost as if I were eating paprika rather than fish. Needless to say, it was a huge disappointment. The girlfriend's spaghetti and meatballs, something Tarbell's is known for we hear, were nothing more really than spaghetti and meatballs. Then again, what all can you do with spaghetti and meatballs that nobody else has done? The side of mac n' cheese was well, mac n' cheese.
Desserts were somewhat a saving grace, but only moderately. I had the bread pudding and enjoyed it well enough. It was sitting in a very bourbony sauce and carried a great aroma and texture.
All in all, I'd say Tarbell's is serving two things... standard fare with higher quality ingredients (mac n' cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, bread pudding) along with experimental dishes that are hit or miss (ahi tuna, mussels) to overall garner a good but not great review from me. I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. If I order a piece of fish, I want it to taste like fish, not a paprika lick.
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