Woodley Proper Delivers Delicious Drinks And Dinners In Encino
Top Chef alumnus Phillip Frankland Lee and his wife, pastry chef Margarita Kallas-Lee, have partnered with mixologist Devon Espinoza to open Woodley Proper. The long narrow space is housed next to Lee's Scratch Bar and Kitchen and boasts a big cocktail menu to accompany Lee's innovative, delicious dishes.
The atmosphere is eclectic and cozy with large comfy sofas, intimate oak tables, a copper-topped bar, big armchairs, and an open kitchen.
Similar to Scratch Bar and Kitchen, a lot of thought goes into offering the perfect drink based on each diner's appetite and individual palette. Guests can begin their dining experience with a "snack" from the bar including a Sphere with blueberry vodka, allspice, and lemon; a mojito ice with white rum, lime, and mint; or a gin cucumber with ice lemongrass gelée and a mandarin ginger foam. Main cocktails are sorted into "aromatics" including the Second Hand Smoke with chicory-infused scotch, ruby port, and flamed orange peel; "herbaceous," characterized by the Valley Girl with Pimm's, ginger beer, lemon, strawberry, orange, and cucumber; "floral," like the Jovita with framboise eau de vie, Lillet Rouge, pineapple, lime, and rosewater; and "fruit" such as the Los Encinos with tequila blanco, grapefruit, jalapeno, and pomegranate. Larger groups should take advantage of the large-format party carts and tableside punch service.
Pairing beverages with the perfect dish is Woodley Proper's specialty, whether it's as a liquor-absorbing snack or an entire meal. Menu highlights include Lee's lovely stuffed olives with a honey lime syrup. Equally good are the cheese and charcuterie board appetizers. There's also a huge raw and steamed shellfish tower and sharable toasts with salmon, yogurt, and cucumber pickles; ground tomato with sweet and sour onions and burnt avocado, and roasted chicken livers, black truffle butter, and potato hummus on top of house baked sourdough.
Larger plates include a New York strip with tomato salad, roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, and a cheeseburger with tomato jam. Desserts are also inventive, with churro bites stuffed with a foie gras mousse, a trio of boozy chocolates, shortbread cookies with cranberry jam, and brioche doughnuts with whipped cream.