“When sunlight wafts through the south-facing windows during a busy lunch service,

February 20, 2013 12:00 am
There's nothing wrong with a restaurant that doesn't mug for the cameras (or make a noisy fuss about the eaters armed with them.) Although the term aEœneighborhood restaurantaE is a mite too rumpled and beery for what's happening at Tanglewood, the tailored 35-seat bistro is admirably willing to recede into the background when Magnolians want to celebrate a birthday or host visiting in-laws. In many ways, Tanglewood Supreme feels like a perfectly ordinary expression of upper-middle classhood, in the fashion of golden retrievers and Toyota Priuses. What distinguishes it from other restaurants with open kitchens and $22 entrees aE“ and what matters most to eaters on the opposite end of the Magnolia Bridge aE“ is the consistently high caliber of its food.
There's nothing wrong with a restaurant that doesn't mug for the cameras (or make a noisy fuss about the eaters armed with them.) Although the term aEœneighborhood restaurantaE is a mite too rumpled and beery for what's happening at Tanglewood, the tailored 35-seat bistro is admirably willing to recede into the background when Magnolians want to celebrate a birthday or host visiting in-laws. In many ways, Tanglewood Supreme feels like a perfectly ordinary expression of upper-middle classhood, in the fashion of golden retrievers and Toyota Priuses. What distinguishes it from other restaurants with open kitchens and $22 entrees aE“ and what matters most to eaters on the opposite end of the Magnolia Bridge aE“ is the consistently high caliber of its food.

“When sunlight wafts through the south-facing windows during a busy lunch service, ribbons of housemade pappardelle smudged with chili and grapefruit, hillocks of red quinoa flecked with ricotta salata and bright-green Brussels sprout leaves, and sunset-pink salmon tartare gleam so attractively that even the drowsiest appetites are jolted awake by a glance around the compact room. But bloggers generally don’t bother toting their cameras to Tanglewood because the restaurant stands outside the realm of razzmatazz.”Read more of Hanna Raskin’s review here.Photos by Joshua HustonPublished on February 20, 2013

Tanglewood is at its best when it's roaming the globe, frying up jaunty sweet potato arancini.

Tanglewood is at its best when it’s roaming the globe, frying up jaunty sweet potato arancini.

Chef Jeffrey Kessenich, a Brasa vet and smart hire by owner Kent Chappelle, isn't so taken with his philosophy, ingredient sourcing and technique that guests are forced to acknowledge his talents when all they want is a decent green salad. Nor are prices ratcheted up to announce artistry, or account for it.

Chef Jeffrey Kessenich, a Brasa vet and smart hire by owner Kent Chappelle, isn’t so taken with his philosophy, ingredient sourcing and technique that guests are forced to acknowledge his talents when all they want is a decent green salad. Nor are prices ratcheted up to announce artistry, or account for it.

If there's one dish that demonstrates owner Kent Chappelle success, it's the Alaskan weathervane scallops.The composed plate's Asian stylings are echoed by split baby eggplants, airy naan puffs and a spray of macadamia nuts.

If there’s one dish that demonstrates owner Kent Chappelle success, it’s the Alaskan weathervane scallops.The composed plate’s Asian stylings are echoed by split baby eggplants, airy naan puffs and a spray of macadamia nuts.

A smart dish of whole Hawaiian blue prawns, poached in a vanilla-sweet grapefruit nage.

A smart dish of whole Hawaiian blue prawns, poached in a vanilla-sweet grapefruit nage.

Lunchtime, which is when you have to visit Tanglewood if you're after the salmon pastrami. The terrific salmon, seasoned and cured for four days before cold-smoking, is thickly-sliced and smeared with whole grain mustard. Online food chroniclers might want to get a picture.

Lunchtime, which is when you have to visit Tanglewood if you’re after the salmon pastrami. The terrific salmon, seasoned and cured for four days before cold-smoking, is thickly-sliced and smeared with whole grain mustard. Online food chroniclers might want to get a picture.

Finally, while a slim selection of spirits makes sense in a restaurant that needs to save every kitchen counter seat for dining customers, Tanglewood's wine list doesn't measure up to its inspired cuisine. Although the menu emphasizes delicate shellfish and Thai touches, such as coconut milk in a red risotto and a lemongrass coulis scribbled alongside bits of flash-fried yellowfin tuna, the only white wines available are an oaked Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot gris. None of the whites or the three listed reds are priced at more than $32, but affordability is small consolation when trying to figure out what to drink with a smart dish of whole Hawaiian blue prawns, poached in a vanilla-sweet grapefruit nage.

Finally, while a slim selection of spirits makes sense in a restaurant that needs to save every kitchen counter seat for dining customers, Tanglewood’s wine list doesn’t measure up to its inspired cuisine. Although the menu emphasizes delicate shellfish and Thai touches, such as coconut milk in a red risotto and a lemongrass coulis scribbled alongside bits of flash-fried yellowfin tuna, the only white wines available are an oaked Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot gris. None of the whites or the three listed reds are priced at more than $32, but affordability is small consolation when trying to figure out what to drink with a smart dish of whole Hawaiian blue prawns, poached in a vanilla-sweet grapefruit nage.

Tanglewood Supreme, 3216 W. Wheeler St., (206)708-6235, tanglewoodsupreme.com. Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-close.

Tanglewood Supreme, 3216 W. Wheeler St., (206)708-6235, tanglewoodsupreme.com. Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-close.