Tarbell's and The Oven Pizza e Vino find a home in the new Streets at SouthGlenn

• We had a weird experience at The Pizza Oven e Vino today. I emailed the manager and suggested he call me if he would like to know why we'll never return. I will leave it at that for now, and give you an update on whether or not he bothers to call. Suffice it to say that customer service was absolutely nill and they made no effort to rectify the situation.

• I completely disagree with Dave, Harvey, and anonymous. I think Tarbells has the best burger in Denver. The combination of carmelized onions and bleu cheese is unbelievable. If I could eat this burger on a daily basis, I WOULD!! I would highly reccommend this restaurant to anybody and everybody. The home style cooking/fine dining fusion is genius and the food that comes out of this kitchen is remarkable. Go try the burger!!!!! I guarantee you will be satisfied!!!

• I have eaten at Tarbells on several occasions and have not been disappointed. The talented chef and kitchen staff deserve recognition for the passion and hard work they put into the details. The fried chicken is perfect along with the suprisingly good fish tacos. With the fabulous wine list and craft beers(Stone IPA which is the best beer in America!!) it is hard to not find a great drink to compliment your meal. The menu prices are a little high, so I won't be eating there every day. Aside from that, Tarbell's is one of the my favorite places in the Denver area because every time I go in I have a great meal and feel like part of the family.

• Agree with Harvey and Dave. To my mind, something has simply gotten lost in translation with Mark Tarbell's efforts here in Denver. No doubt, he is a bona fide talented chef, and a successful restauranteur in other geographic locations. But he seems to be unable to grasp the sensibilities of Denver's eaters. Both "Oven" locations run smoothly, and the food is good - but nothing spectacular, and notably overpriced for what it is. And what became of "Mark & Isabella's" was just unfathomable, as well-documented by Sheehan before he blew town. At "Home" (now "Tarbell's"), my first experience was emblematic of the "disconnect" I suggest. Ordering the pork dish from the "comfort" side of the menu, I was presented with an almost unbelievable plate: 2 ridiculously enormous pork chops (we're talking Flinstones here), sided with a tiny scoop of applesauce. An absurdly large amount of protein, a stingy amount of applesauce, and nary a veg or starch in site. And the worst part? While the applesauce was fabulous, the chops didn't even need it - they were incredibly well flavored (brined, perhaps?) and PERFECTLY cooked. But the whole dish was clumsy, unbalanced, and - typically - terribly overpriced (even considering that it provided leftovers for the rest of the following day). Better, I think, to serve a generous single chop, a bit more applesauce, and perhaps a green of some sort - even if only to add some color and counterpoint. Not rocket science. Glad Mark is so fond of the cheeseburger that his Exec "created" (?!), but I think he needs to look a little deeper if he is going to prosper here.....

• Last week's Denver Post review pretty much nailed Tarbell's: you feel like you overpaid for what you get. I ordered the 5 Napkin burger and promptly removed one of the patties before I ate it. It was a good burger, but 2 patties is over the top. I still prefer Fatburger to anything in the area.

• Not a fan of Tarbell's. I think one of the problems is that the rent in this "new Urbanism" center is killing Mark. He has to charge too much compared with the restaurants that are in "class C" spaces around the city. My lunch was Meh to OK. See http://www.yelp.com/biz/tarbells-southglenn-centennial Park Burger makes a better burger for less money. Cherry Cricket has a better vibe (not a better burger) than Tarbell's. I think that Tarbell's will be a great restaurant in 30 years after this pseudo town center has decayed and become something more authentic (and with lower rents).

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