When The Tribune last visited in 2004, halibut was $26; now it is $33. The house-specialty elk was $34; now it is $39. Granted, entrées come with bread, a small salad and a palate-cleansing sorbet such as raspberry-lemon, but still.
With those steep prices and "fine dining" in the restaurant's name come certain expectations. They include high-end stemware and dishes, elegant surroundings and spot-on service. While I can compliment the staff for its professionalism and friendliness, I cannot accept the thick-lipped glassware and some dinnerware that looks chintzy.
As for the space, lightly stained wainscoting, natural flagstone on some walls and torch-shaped sconces are nice touches, but the low-ceilinged place still feels like its previous incarnation as a casual Italian restaurant.
In addition to the halibut and elk entrees there is beef, ahi tuna, duck and lamb. The beef tenderloin ($34), with sauteed mushrooms and garlic mashed potatoes, and the lamb - numerous itty-bitty delicious tenderloins encircling a lovely risotto cake - were excellent. The duck? Not so much. The poor fowl ($32) was drowning under a sweet cherry demi-glace that had to be scraped off to find the meat. The same heavy hand over-sauced other dishes throughout the evening.
Every entree and four of five starters are either meat or fish. What's a vegetarian to do? The sole non-meat appetizer was a wheel of baked camembert ($10) under caramelized balsamic onions and toasted almonds. It would have been better without the balsamic.
If you prefer shellfish, seared scallops ($14) were four slightly seared ping-pong-ball-sized bivalves with a pool of fresh tomato cream sauce spiked with spicy chipotle. A pair of decent crab cakes ($12) came with a knockout salad of cucumber, feta, capers, red onion and strips of red and yellow bell peppers.
Plates arrived with squiggles and flecks of parsley, lemon zest or powdered sugar around the plate rim. That powdered sugar became dangerous when my dining companion inadvertently inhaled it. The kitchen would be better off treating a plate rim as a frame with the food as the focal point.
Fortunately, the restaurant puts an emphasis on its wine program. There are several interesting and reasonably priced varietals to choose from, including some unique Italian wines such as an inky 2005 Morgante Nero D'Avola from Sicily ($36).
Sips of that wine livened up an uninspired dark chocolate mousse (all desserts, $7). Crème br lée was a bit better and the New York-style cheesecake came from . . . The Cheesecake Factory. Like I said, I want to like Tiburon. But with "fine dining" come certain expectations.
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* LESLI J. NEILSON is a Tribune restaurant reviewer. E-mail her at lneilson@sltrib.com. To comment on this column, write livingeditor@sltrib.com.
Tiburon Fine Dining
* OVERALL RATING: 
* FOOD:
* MOOD:
* SERVICE: 
* NOISE: 2 bells
* IN A NUTSHELL: Tiburon Fine Dining should live up to its name and upgrade its glassware, dishware and plate presentations. Notable dishes include the elk and lamb entrees and the cucumber salad. Spot-on service, commendable wine list.
* WHERE: 8256 S. 700 East, Sandy; 801-255-1200
* HOURS: Open nightly, 5 to 10 p.m.
* CHILDREN'S MENU: No
* PRICES: $$$$
* LIQUOR: Full bar
* RESERVATIONS: Recommended
* TAKEOUT: Yes
* WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
* OUTDOOR DINING: Yes
* ON-SITE PARKING: Yes
* CREDIT CARDS: All major
