Sauteed Pea Shoots with Pine Nuts and Raisins at Tangled Vine Wine Bar

Bay Area Bites

Tangled Vine Wine Bar and Kitchen, a recent addition to the Upper West Side, has a cheesy-Pottery-Barn-sleek look somehow reminiscent of airports and malls, but it's actually a very good place for a glass of wine and a bite to eat, focusing on sustainable and biodynamic old-world wines and Mediterranean plates from David Seigal, formerly of Mercat. Last night we munched on a sprightly vegetarian delight that's perfect for spring.

Pea shoots, the tender leaves and tendrils that top pea plants, have seasons in the spring and winter, and although we're still about a month away from seeing them in the Greenmarket, Seigal has gotten his hands on some particularly verdant specimens, which he was cooking in the Catalan style for a special ($10) last night.

The shoots are crisp and sweet, more flavorful than spinach, easier to love than bitter-edged watercress. Sauteed in butter until just limpid, and tossed with pine nuts and raisins, the pea shoots were gobbled up as though they were Easter candy.

434 Amsterdam Avenue at 81st Street
646-863-3896

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