THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Gadarene Swine Awards

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Gadarene Swine Restaurant Review:

Chef Phillip Frankland Lee (Scratch Bar) knew he had a hit on his hands when he put a cauliflower dish on the menu at his Beverly Hills restaurant, and guests not only sold it out every night --- they couldn't believe it was vegan. Now, Lee has turned his considerable vegetable skills into an entirely new Studio City restaurant named The Gadarene Swine. Serving an animal-free menu (though not technically vegan, since honey can be found in places), The Gadarene Swine offers a chef's tasting menu from the eight seat marble bar, with à la carte options for the dozen or so tables throughout the rest of the small room. Carefully plated dishes arrive through the open kitchen pass quickly, with Lee himself expediting and finishing certain items himself in full view of the restaurant, while his wife Margarita Lee handles vegan pastry chef duties. Each course is based around a central vegetable, like savory mushrooms sliced wide, or a thickened roast tomato reduction meant to be smeared on crusty olive oil bread. Each plate is satisfying, if not entirely filling, but a few dishes strung together can make for a full meal -- plus a honey-sweetened dessert or two, of course. The small wine list is esoteric, with full-bodied reds that help bolster the menu, and there are a few Belgian-style witbiers and tripels. Service is knowledgeable and quick, and if dining at the chef's counter, expect Lee to chat amiably about everything from vegan culture to what's blaring from the loud speakers overhead.