Chef-Driven Restaurant in an Encino Strip Mall: Scratch Bar & Kitchen

Sitting in a strip mall with neighbors such as Mediterranean Bar and Grill, California Pizza Kitchen, Massage Envy, Gymboree, Coffee Bean, Allen Edwards Salon, Larsen's Steakhouse, a dental office, clothing boutiques and a carousel, I was surprised that was where I would find Chef Phillip Frankland Lee's Scratch Bar & Kitchen. But there it was, tucked into the second floor on the mall in Encino. Scratch Bar & Kitchen first opened in Beverly Hills in 2013 and that was the first time I was introduced to Chef Lee. When the restaurant closed, Chef Lee opened the vegetable driven Gadarene Swine in Studio City which I went to a number of times. I was always impressed by the creativity of each dish, showcasing vegetables in ways one would never think of. Sadly Gadarene Swine recently closed but happily Chef Lee re-opened Scratch Bar & Kitchen one year ago in a strip mall in the valley.