We did the $40 chef's choice meal. Our server interviewed us about our allergies and preferences, so the chef could design a meal we could all enjoy. Their desire for patrons to enjoy the meal extended so far that the chef came to our table to ask me how cooked the tomatoes needed to be for me to eat them. I assured him that whatever they did would be fine, but he was very concerned that I get food I would like. The service continued throughout the meal to be caring and attentive.

The food was outstanding--an exploration of the amazing things vegetables can do. There was not even a hint of the common pitfall of vegan and vegetarian cuisine to try to imitate meat recipes. There was no attempt to create familiar dishes, not even for dessert, which was fantastic.

I cannot recommend The Gardarene Swine enough.

This Vegan hot spot offers small plates and Tasting menus that range from $50 for 7-courses, 9-courses for $65 and 12-courses for $85. Wine tastings can be paired at an additional fee ranging from $30 to $65 per person.

If one person at the table wants to enjoy the Tasting Menu, yet others want to order a la carte, forget it. Everyone at the table must participate in the tasting menu. That's $80 for 7-courses with wine per person or $150 per person for 12-courses with wine pairings. It's adds up quickly.

My table of four opted to shared 9 dishes with a glass of wine and a beer for around $155 for four. Speaking of wine, I ordered a Rose', yet had to drink a Chardonnay. Why? They ran out of Rose' wine. Who runs out of Rose' wine? Our server Sam said this summer was the season of Rose' and their supplier said they should have ordered more. Whatever!

The chef is Phillip Frankland Lee from Scratch Bar on La Cienega. It closed recently and Lee is building out another eatery in the San Fernando Valley. He won't disclose the location yet. He had been

He also has planted seeds in a garden behind Gadarene Swine. By this Fall he hopes to use the vegetables and fruit in 40% of his dishes. He also is hoping to hold exclusive dinners out in the garden. That sounds fun!

His wife Margarita was onsite the night we dined. She took the orders from the servers and gave the slips to the bartender and chefs in the kitchen. She also whipped up dished with a hand mixer, scooped roasted garlic and fresh Thyme popcorn with a hint of sugar into bowls to have the servers deliver to guests and she washed dishes. Every dish that came out of the kitchen was inspected by Margarita before servers were allowed to take it out to guests.

My 5 favorite dishes were-

1. The peanut butter & jelly starter. What? I know, crazy right. We ordered it for our 10 year old, yet I loved the creaminess of the house made peanut butter with dollops of prune jam and adorned with arugula, shaved carrots and enoki mushrooms. When the dish arrived, I feared my daughter wouldn't like the veggies on top.....she loved them as much as I did.

2 Veggies in a Box was very creative, yet too small to share four ways. Chef Lee takes a wooden block and wraps julienne Yukon potatoes around it and fries it to create a box. Then places the box on a bed of charred eggplant purée, and fills it with gorgeous asparagus, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, and onions.

3. Dirty rice with nori, sautéed vegetables was the largest dish and enough to share with others. It's base is brown rice with zucchini, avocado mousse, mushrooms, sugar-split tomatoes, red peppers and shaved carrots.

4. We are loved the flavor profile of the popcorn in a small bowl.

5. Crunchy and thinly sliced sourdough bread with a sun-split sweet tomato dip that has chopped basil, chives and sea salt. It's as comforting as a bowl of tomato soup.

4 Dishes My Table Didn't Care for -

1. Fried olives served with a Roma apple and lime syrup and fried, then frozen, then fried and served hot. The flavors didn't balance right. They were just Ok.

2. Lemon & Pistachio Kale Chips were just ok.

3. Roasted mushrooms with burnt sweet potatoes were an interesting main, but a little too sweet.

4. Deconstructed pear pie with coconut milk pecan ice cream. Too sweet.

There is a bar with wine, beer and cocktails. Bring your own bottle and they charge you a $25 corkage fee.