Scouting Report: Lee finds his own path with meat-free Gadarene Swine

Name of restaurant: The Gadarene Swine in Studio City.

Chef/Owner: Chef Phillip Frankland Lee, the owner of Scratch|Bar in Beverly Hills, which opened to rave reviews last year.

Concept: First of all, despite what the the name seems to suggest, there’s no pork on The Gadarene Swine menu. You won’t find any beef, fish or fowl either at Lee’s new restaurant. Beautifully creative vegetables for sure, but please don’t call this a vegan restaurant. Lee refuses to label his cuisine, stating, “Vegan is just too political.”

The restaurant’s name comes from a logical fallacy called “The Gadarene Swine,” the notion that just because everyone else is doing something doesn’t make it right. And the fact that no one else is doing something doesn’t make it wrong. Phillip Frankland Lee is most definitely doing things his way. He’s very serious about his cooking, but he wants his food to be fun, and it is just that.

The restaurant is located in a charming cottage on busy Ventura Boulevard. The décor is intimate and casual, with most seats in full view of the open kitchen. Choose from a la carte or reserve a spot at the eight-seat chef’s counter for his tasting menu. Margarita Lee (the chef’s talented wife) will be creating desserts for the restaurant.

What dish represents the restaurant, and why? Grilled Corn. After grilling, the corn is slathered (on the cob) with corn pudding then rolled in homemade corn nuts. It’s sweet, salty, crunchy and messy in a really good way. It’s a joyful dish; you can’t help but smile when eating it, which was probably the chef’s intention when he created it.

Runner up: Tomato Oil with Balsamic (served with sourdough). Think creamy, tart, tomato aioli (or mayonnaise), and then think about eating it with a spoon.

Meaty: There are no imitation meats on the menu here, but there are mushrooms to the rescue. The roasted mushrooms come with burnt sweet potato, English peas, mushroom chips and pea tendrils.

The dishes here are filling, exciting and don’t leave you with that carnivore food coma.

Who’s at the next table? Young women taking photos with their smartphones.

Appropriate for...: Vegetable lovers, plus anyone who thinks they might be apprehensive about trying an all-vegetable meal.

Uh-oh...: Is Studio City ready for a high-end meatless menu?

Service: Very friendly.

What are you drinking? Water, but there is beer and wine, plus cold-pressed juices, some available as cocktails with soju or champagne.

Gadarene Swine, 11266 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 508-5500, www.thegadareneswine.com.