Hollywood's Beauty And Essex Expands To Sunday Brunch

Tao Group's Beauty & Essex restaurant in Hollywood has launched a sumptuous Sunday Brunch.

The 10,000-square-foot complex features the hallmark characteristic of every location: a pawn-inspired retail shop filled with guitars, vintage jewelry, art, and other collectables. Diners enter through the shop, which leads to a variety of lounges and dining rooms.

The downstairs lounge looks elegant in daylight with purple suede bar chairs, gold and crystal light fixtures and burgundy love seats and couches. The dark grand main dining room includes elegant pearl strand chandeliers, wall art featuring twirling ballerinas, antique décor, cozy beige leather sofas, round wood tables and a 20-foot oval skylight.

Owner and chef Chris Santos and executive chef Kyle Kingrey's globally inspired brunch menu includes the restaurant's signature grilled cheese, smoked bacon and tomato soup dumplings; avocado latke benedict; short rib huevos rancheros with black beans and cotija cheese; deviled eggs on toast with house made mustard smoked paprika and Oreo cookie pancakes. The raw bar dishes include Peruvian salmon ceviche; smoked salmon toast on pumpernickel with chive cream cheese; tuna poke wonton tacos; shrimp cocktail and oysters.

Must tries desserts are the s'mores pops with toasted marshmallow ice cream and dark chocolate graham cracker crumbs and roasted banana ice cream and the stick toffee sundae.

The cocktail menu contains a variety of choices including a spritzes of cava, peach and Campari; a Not Your Ma's Mosa with whisky, blackberry, maple syrup and cava; Cinnamon Toast Crunk with Hennessey, almond milk and vanilla; Bubbles and Berries with champagne, vodka; St. Germain and strawberries; and the Wake up Call with espresso tequila cold brew, Godiva and vanilla.

In all, the late-night restaurant adds a solid brunch option to the Hollywood scene.