Grain bowls have either been a boon or a bane to the Los Angeles food scene, depending on the perspective. Of course, not all grain bowls are created equal. Restaurants like SQIRL have turned grain bowls into an art form, while opportunistic chains settle for dry white rice piled with bland, under-seasoned roasted vegetables. Conversely, I could easily talk about nam khao tod, Thai crispy rice salad, all day. Especially from restaurants like Night + Market and Sri Siam Cafe. I didn’t know what to expect from the crispy rice from Woodley Proper in Encino, but Phillip Frankland Lee and wife Margarita Kallas-Lee serve a grain bowl near the top end of the spectrum.

I experienced a dineL.A. dinner before a close-up magic show in back of Woodley Proper at Sushi|Bar. As part of my meal, I enjoyed the couple’s crave-worthy Crispy Rice ($12). Crunchy clumps of rice, which reminded me of broken, Persian-style tahdig, joined meaty roasted (and properly seasoned) maitake mushrooms. Two medium-cooked eggs with gooey yolks, thin-shaved scallions, and a shower of black pepper rounded out the deluxe Woodley Proper grain bowl. This dish didn’t match some of the tricks I witnessed at Magic|Bar, but certainly required a deft touch.