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2007-01-01 - METRO TANGLEWOOD'S MENU FLITS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN HIGHBROW AND DOWN-HOME AND DISHES FROM BOTH CATEGORIES GENERALLY SUCCEED. ONE OF THE RESTAURANT'S SIGNATURE STARTERS IS THE BLT SALAD WITH THICK BACON, ICEBERG LETTUCE AND JUICY TOMATOES. THE LUNCH MENU HAS SEVERAL GEMS SUCH AS THE PULLED-PORK SLIDERS, WHERE SLOW-ROASTED PORK IS STEEPED IN A SLIGHTLY SWEET, MODERATELY SPICY BARBECUE SAUCE AND STACKED HIGH BETWEEN TWO TINY BUNS. FROM THE LIST OF ENTREES, FISH DISHES REALLY SHINE. CHEF QUENTIN TOPPING CELEBRATES NATURE'S RICH AND FLAVORFUL DIVERSITY WITH EVER-CHANGING MENUS THAT USE SEASONAL INGREDIENTS, GROWN, RAISED, AND HARVESTED ON SUSTAINABLE FARMS, RANCHES AND FISHERIES. WHEN THE EXECUTIVES OF SAN FRANCISCO'S LA FOLIE AND THE BAY AREA'S LEFT BANK CHAIN JOIN FORCES TO OPEN A NEW RESTAURANT IN SAN JOSE, IT'S ONLY NATURAL TO IMAGINE IT WOULD BE FRENCH. THINK AGAIN. THE MENU AT TANGLEWOOD IS ALL-AMERICAN. ICEBERG LETTUCE, LOBSTER ROLLS AND APPLE PIE GO UPSCALE AT THE HANDSOME NEW ADDITION TO SANTANA ROW'S RESTAURANT SCENE. WORKING WITH HIGH QUALITY INGREDIENTS, OFTEN LOCALLY PRODUCED, EXECUTIVE CHEF AND PARTNER QUENTIN TOPPING RECASTS FAMILIAR DISHES IN FLAVORS THAT ARE AT ONCE SIMPLE AND SOPHISTICATED. A GRADUATE OF BOTH HARVARD AND THE CALIFORNIA CULINARY ACADEMY, TOPPING TRAINED IN FRANCE AND THE KITCHENS OF NOTED AMERICAN CHEFS, INCLUDING ROLAND PASSOT, WHO OWNS LA FOLIE. HE BRINGS FRENCH TECHNIQUE TO HIS MEAT LOAF AND A CREATIVE SENSIBILITY TO HIS DECONSTRUCTED CHOWDER WITH DIVER SCALLOPS. MENUS CHANGE FREQUENTLY IN RHYTHM WITH THE SEASONS. SO THE LAST TOMATOES AND SQUASH OF SUMMER ARE ON THEIR WAY OUT NOW, TO BE REPLACED BY THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CABBAGES, QUINCE AND PEARS OF FALL. THE SHOWCASE FOR THIS REFINED RENDITION OF COMFORT FOOD IS A SLEEK 115-SEAT DINING ROOM. ALL WOOD, STONE AND TILE IN SHADES OF BROWN AND BEIGE, THE ROOM OPENS ONTO A SIDEWALK PATIO ON ONE SIDE IN WARM WEATHER. A LONG COMMUNAL TABLE FACES THE GLASSED-IN EXHIBITION KITCHEN ON THE OPPOSITE WALL. DECORATION IS MINIMAL, EMPHASIZING THE NATURAL. A EUCALYPTUS TREE TRUNK SERVES AS A RECEPTION DESK. TABLES ARE CONSTRUCTED OF CALIFORNIA WALNUT. PUMPKINS AND SQUASH ARE DISPLAYED LIKE ART. OPEN JUST TWO MONTHS, TANGLEWOOD HAS ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR A MEMORABLE MEAL. PRICES REFLECT THE ATTENTION LAVISHED ON THE SMALLEST DETAILS, FROM THE SUEDED BLACK PAPER FROM FRANCE TOPPING THE BEIGE TABLECLOTHS TO THE SILVER PITCHER OF SUGAR SYRUP DELIVERED WITH THE ICED TEA AND LEMON. TERRIFIC BUTTER FROM MARIN'S STRAUS FAMILY CREAMERY IS SERVED WITH THE CRUSTY SOURDOUGH AND SOFT, FLOURED DINNER ROLLS FROM BAY BREAD. THE EXTENSIVE WINE LIST ROAMS THE GLOBE AND INCLUDES LESS COMMON VARIETALS SUCH AS TOKAI, CASSIS AND NEBBIOLI ALONG WITH THE CABERNETS, RIESLINGS AND PINOT NOIRS. CALIFORNIA WINERIES ARE WELL-REPRESENTED AND THERE ARE INTERESTING WINES BY THE GLASS, AMONG THEM A GUTSY STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN ZINFANDEL ($12 A GLASS). STILL, THE RESTAURANT SUFFERS FROM SERVICE GLITCHES. MY COMPANION AND I HAD TO ASK THREE TIMES FOR THE CHECK AT A LUNCH WHEN OUR OTHERWISE CHARMING SERVER SEEMED TO FORGET US AFTER SHE TOOK OUR ORDER. THAT WAS AFTER WE HAD WAITED FOR 20 MINUTES, THUMBS TWIDDLING, JUST TO REQUEST DESSERT FOLLOWING OUR ENTREES. THE FOOD WAS GOOD, STARTING WITH THE BLT SALAD ($9), HALF A HEAD OF ICEBERG LETTUCE PULLED APART AND DRAMATICALLY REASSEMBLED WITH THICK SLICES OF SMOKY NUESKE'S BACON, A PUNCHY POINT REYES BLUE CHEESE DRESSING, WEDGES OF HEIRLOOM TOMATO, AND A HUGE CROUTON OF TOASTED BRIOCHE. I'M STILL NO FAN OF ICEBERG LETTUCE BUT THE ACCOUTERMENTS WERE QUITE NICE. MORE TO MY TASTE WAS THE WARM ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE SALAD ($12), A BEAUTIFULLY COMPOSED BOWL OF SWEET BABY TURNIPS, PARSNIPS, RUTABAGAS, BEETS, CARROTS AND PURPLE PERUVIAN POTATOES LIGHTLY DRESSED IN A SPRIGHTLY APPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE. IN TRIBUTE TO THE LAST OF SUMMER'S PRODUCE, EXPERTLY PAN-ROASTED HALIBUT ($16) WAS SERVED WITH A DELICATE FRIED SQUASH BLOSSOM OVER RATATOUILLE AND A LIGHT TOMATO SAUCE DUBBED GAZPACHO JUS. FLAVORFUL, JUICY WOLFE RANCH QUAIL ($16) FROM THE CENTRAL VALLEY WAS ROASTED TO A GOLDEN BROWN AND SERVED OVER THE CREAMIEST GRITS I'VE EVER TASTED WITH A FRISEE SALAD TOPPED WITH A FRIED QUAIL EGG. AT DINNER ON ANOTHER DAY, THE MAINE LOBSTER ROLL ($19) WAS A LOVELY, IF PRICEY, STARTER. BIG CHUNKS OF SUCCULENT SWEET LOBSTER MEAT, LIGHTLY DRESSED, CAME IN A SOFT, TOASTED ROLL WITH A PAIR OF LIGHT CORN FRITTERS MADE WITH CORN KERNELS AND BITS OF ONION IN THE FLUFFY BATTER. THE PORTION WAS SMALL BUT NOT THE FLAVOR. COCA-COLA-BRAISED PORK BELLY ($13), MAYBE THREE INCHES SQUARE, WAS A LUSCIOUS DISH, THE ESSENCE OF PORK UNDERSCORED BY TOUCH OF SWEETNESS. YET I COULDN'T HELP BUT CONTEMPLATE MY CHOLESTEROL COUNT WITH EVERY BITE. THANK GOODNESS FOR THE ACCOMPANYING FRISEE SALAD WITH ROASTED APPLES AND A LEMON-LACED DRESSING TO CUT THE FAT. ENTREES RANGE FROM THE SCALLOPS ($26), WHICH RAN OUT JUST BEFORE I TRIED TO ORDER THEM, TO A 14-OUNCE BLACKENED KUROBOTA PORK CHOP ($28). THE GRILLED MEYERS RANCH RIB EYE ``FILET' ($28) IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE, THE AMAZINGLY TENDER CENTER OF ONE OF THE TASTIEST CUTS OF BEEF. IT CAME WITH BROCCOLI FLORETS IN A BROCCOLI AND CELERY PUREE AND CRISP-EDGED HASH BROWNS. THE MEAT LEFT OVER WHEN THE ``FILET' IS REMOVED IS GROUND AND MIXED WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS FOR A PLEASANT BUT UNREMARKABLE INDIVIDUAL MEAT LOAF ($17) THAT CAME WITH SMASHED NEW POTATOES AND A BRIGHT HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD. THE TEXTURE IS TOO DENSE TO MAKE ME HAPPY BUT THE SPICY POOL OF KETCHUP IN WHICH ITS PRESENTED IS A NICE, HOMEY TOUCH. SAVORY IS TANGLEWOOD'S STRONG SUIT. NOT AS MUCH THOUGHT APPEARED TO GO INTO DESSERTS (ALL $8) AT MY MEALS. THE OPEN-FACED APPLE TART WAS PLEASING WITH GOOD PASTRY AND A RICH HOUSE-MADE CARAMEL ICE CREAM TOUCHED WITH SALT TO BRING OUT THE FLAVOR, BUT IT WAS SHORT ON APPLES. AN ETHEREAL BREAD PUDDING NEEDED MORE HUCKLEBERRY COMPOTE TO REALLY SING. CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES IN THE ICE CREAM SANDWICH OF THE CHOCOLATE SAMPLER WERE SO THICK AND HARD THAT THEY WERE DIFFICULT TO EAT, AND THE DEMITASSE CUP OF HOT COCOA WAS LUKEWARM BY THE TIME IT ARRIVED AT THE TABLE. THE RECENT HIRE OF A PASTRY CHEF MAY RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES. IN THE MEANTIME, CONSIDER THE CHEESE COURSE WITH A CHOICE OF FARMSTEAD CHEESES RANGING FROM HUMBOLDT FOG GOAT CHEESE AND VELLA DRY JACK TO GREAT BLUE HILL ROQUEFORT ($9 FOR ONE CHEESE-$18 FOR FOUR). TANGLEWOOD IS ALL ABOUT THE AMERICAN CLASSICS. TANGLEWOOD *** 334 SANTANA ROW, SUITE 1000, SAN JOSE (408) 244-0464. BY ALETA WATSON |
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