Sunday, sassy side up

In Los Angeles, Sunday brunch is almost a religion. It’s one of the few times during the week when we slow down, make time to see family and friends, when the cellphone seems to magically stop ringing. Nobody expects to get up from a brunch in under a couple of hours, and afterward, there’s no office to race off to, no clock to beat. Have that extra glass of champagne, another bite of dessert. Unwind. Finish with a walk or a bike ride, or a snooze. The day stretches out like Silly Putty.

For a long time, brunch was almost exclusively the province of hotel restaurants, where they had the space and the manpower to lay out an awe-inspiring spread. People went weak in the knees at the sight of all those stations: all the shrimp and oysters you can eat. Custom-made omelets. Humongous roasts. Giant birds carved to order. Not to mention everything from petits fours to towering cakes and other desserts with calories in the five digits. Those old menus were modeled on a patrician ideal -- oysters on the half shell, eggs Benedict, the roast, haunches of game.

But today’s L.A. brunch has moved far beyond that lineup. From dim sum to soul food, Mexican specialties to Brazilian steak, the array of food can include a wide variety of ethnic influences and surprises -- sometimes taking eggs out of the equation altogether.

As for the experience, if you can dream it up, it probably exists.

Dancers, gospel singers, vaudeville veterans, Dixieland quartets, jazz musicians, mountain retreats, breathtaking beach views, hipster paradises -- somewhere in L.A., there’s a brunch that has it.

One trip to Samba in Redondo Beach should shake up any staid ideas about Sunday brunch. The surroundings couldn’t look tamer: a sunny room near the beach, a couple of tiers of diner booths, a buffet table. Then along come Tatiane and Jeila, the two shimmying samba dancers who quiver and shake their way across the restaurant, stopping to gyrate briefly beside each table.

It’s, um, a bit off-putting at first, but somehow the women’s enthusiasm and smiles distract from the beads and pearls and the surreal element of a scantily clad showgirl prancing beside your beef tenderloin.

“Once they see what it is, that it’s about being happy -- not something sexual, they relax,” Tatiane says of first-timers. “Sometimes, people get really into it after a couple of glasses of champagne and we start conga lines around the room.”

Alex Ritchie, a film publicist who lives in Marina del Rey, stumbled upon Samba about a year ago. “It was packed,” he says, still amazed, “the whole place on their feet dancing, and it was 4 o’clock in the afternoon.”

Although brunch starts at 11, the party atmosphere doesn’t get going till at least 1, and the girls do their performance twice each brunch. The Brazilian theme is carried over to the menu, where alongside the usual breakfast fare there are Brazilian dishes such as feijoada (pork stew), black beans and fried yucca flower. Plus, endless skewers of Brazilian steak dripping with juice carved right at your table.

Sometimes, brunching off the beaten path simply means going completely out of your element. That’s part of the allure of the Renaissance Restaurant, the dining spot housed in the Church of Scientology’s imposing Celebrity Centre on Franklin Avenue.

The exquisite building was built in 1929 as a replica of a French Normandy castle and at that time served as a luxury residence for some of Hollywood’s most famous: Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, Gracie Allen, George Burns, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant all stayed there, according to the church, which bought the building in 1973. Tours are available all day Sundays.

The restaurant is open to the public for brunch and for dinner during the week. Food and beverage director Pancho Calvillo says all of his staff are Scientologists, but Hollywood Hills residents make up the biggest brunch contingent. The buffet offers the usual fare, with a few highlights from chef Philip Christoudoulou: His sausages are handmade and the fluffy Belgian waffles are from a 30-year-old recipe.

On a recent Sunday, the garden patio is an oasis of calm in the middle of Hollywood. A small band and jazz vocalist play in a gazebo on the lawn. Across the patio, there’s a table of hip-looking thirtysomethings. They look a little uncomfortable, and it turns out they’re on a brunch adventure. “We set this brunch up because we thought it would be a freaky thing to do,” says Mitch Winston, a 34-year-old entertainment executive. You get the impression he’s a little disappointed. “The only thing I thought was weird was the lady who brought the coffee asked if I wanted some coffee to wake up my mind. I thought that was kind of weird. But otherwise, it’s a good brunch.”

Soul Folks is nearly impossible to find. Tucked away in the middle of a block of industrial warehouses downtown, there’s no sign out front, no obvious clue that it’s a restaurant at all. In March, owner Yealang Smith moved it from the heart of the downtown arts district so she could expand into the airplane-hangar-size loft.

When you walk in, it feels more like you’re entering someone’s home than a restaurant. Incense perfumes the air, world music plays from two huge speakers and colorful African American art lines almost every bit of wall space. The random assortment of antique furniture includes a huge oak table for communal dining, a cozy couch and coffee table, and a big open kitchen. Mostly though, the welcoming atmosphere has to do with Smith’s maternal charm.

“Welcome in, baby,” she says as you walk down a narrow hallway lined with Oriental rugs. “You just sit anywhere and I’ll get you whatever you want.”

The menu offers “healthy soul food,” which Smith says is “fresh food, no lard or animal oils. We cook it in a healthy way, but so you still get the flavor. We don’t want you to wear your meal. We don’t want you to get fat. We want you to be fabulous.”

Her recipes are mostly from relatives in Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas. Mom was vegetarian, so there’s barbecued tofu as well as ribs, and the greens are cooked without meat.

It’s a tough choice between the Sidney Poitier “Guess Who’s Coming to Breakfast” Special (eggs, bacon, toast, fried potatoes or grits), Eartha Kitt’s Purrrfect Cheese Omelette or Nat King Cole’s Royal Breakfast Combo (pancakes or waffles with fried chicken winglets and two eggs). Whatever you eat, it’s impossible to leave hungry. The cinnamony pancakes alone are the size of 12-inch singles.

For the ultimate brunch-with-a-twist extravaganza, there’s no better show in town right now than the Big Boys’ Dixieland brunch at the Twin Palms. This raucous quartet transforms Old Town Pasadena’s breezy and elegant patio into a nonstop free-for-all where anything can happen. On one recent Sunday, bandleader Hank Amigo is writhing at the feet of 73-year-old Pico Rivera retiree Martha Granillo, serenading her with a passionate rendition of “Besame Mucho.” He reaches for her hand, slobbers kisses up and down her arm and cries “Oh, abuelita! Where is your husband today, abuelita?” teasing the woman until she’s wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

Amigo (a former “Gong Show” winner) brings this vaudeville-meets-Vegas style lounge act to the Twin Palms champagne brunch every Sunday. He and his campy cohorts wander from table to table improvising new lyrics to Sinatra standards, classic blues songs and some Dixieland tunes, to whatever suits the mood or personality of a particular table. Sometimes he pulls up a chair and sits down with a family, poking gentle fun at certain customers, flirting shamelessly with others. The result is a loyal following, some of whom come almost every weekend.

By 2 p.m., as the brunch is winding down, Amigo is dripping with sweat, and though brunch is officially over, a few tables egg the band on to do a few more songs.

Andrea Galloway of Pasadena, here with her husband, Jim, marches over with a towel and starts rubbing Amigo’s back, then playfully tries to shove the towel down the back of his pants. Amigo immediately breaks into “Just a Gigolo” to the complete rapture of his female admirers, including Aurora Arvizo, who’s dancing with Galloway and a few other women, all giddy with excitement.

“That’s what’s so great about this gig,” Amigo says. “You never know what’s going to happen. It all depends who’s here and how crazy they’re willing to get. We just juice them up.”

As far as his audience is concerned, that beats a boring buffet any day of the week.

*

Serenity or hilarity: Have it your way

With Music

Luxe Hotel

11461 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles

(310) 476-6571

The draw: Jazz done right

It’s rare to find a bona-fide jazz group playing at brunch, one with pedigree and chops. A little-known gem of a trio called Company delivers the goods in the serene courtyard here, led by guitarist John Faire (who played with Sarah Vaughan). They’re a smooth backdrop to Luxe’s affordable and elegant champagne brunch ($21.95 gets you an entree, champagne and unlimited visits to the buffet), but in many ways, they’re the main attraction.

El Cid

4212 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake

(323) 668-0318

The draw: Jerrie Thill

The vibe is informal, the setting is an outdoor patio, and the music is jazz with a touch of kitsch, thanks to 87-year-old drummer Jerrie Thill and her ensemble. The omelets and mimosas may be standard fare, but where else are you likely to be chatted up by a vaudeville veteran?

Twin Palms

101 W. Green St., Pasadena

(626) 577-2567

The draw: The Big Boys

After a couple of glasses of the free-flowing champagne, the Big Boys Dixieland quartet will get you out of your seat and on your feet, singing and dancing along as they work the room. The Dixieland brunch, on Sundays, is $16.95 for the buffet; another $6 gets you unlimited champagne.

The House of Blues

8430 Sunset Blvd.,

West Hollywood

(323) 848-5100

The draw: Roadhouse revival

The legendary Gospel brunch at the House of Blues keeps the crowds rolling in twice each Sunday for its happy-clappy R&B; gospel spectacular. The show is a must-see for out-of-towners (and Angelenos who have managed to miss it) for the sheer quality of the performance. Be prepared, though: The brunch spread is notoriously mediocre and champagne service abysmally slow -- it’s all about the show. Tickets are $35 (they can be booked for weeks).

Showstopping

Samba

207 N. Harbor Drive,

Redondo Beach

310) 374-3411

The draw: Eggs with a quiver

Turn up the heat at this fun Brazilian brunch that serves up skewered meats carved tableside as well as semi-clad samba dancers who gyrate from table to table in Vegas showgirl costumes. Oh, plus a stunning view of the harbor. Sunday brunch, with salsa shows at 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. At $19.95, including grilled meats, buffet and unlimited champagne, this just might be the best brunch bargain in town.

Renaissance Restaurant

Church of Scientology

Celebrity Centre

5930 Franklin Ave., Hollywood

(323) 960-3100

The draw: A peek behind the gates

This Sunday buffet lets the uninitiated onto the sumptuous grounds of Scientology’s Hollywood estate -- without having to take a personality test. Hint: The $25 brunch does not include champagne and can be discounted to $20 with a coupon from www.celebritycentre.org.

Sagebrush Cantina

23527 Calabasas Road, Calabasas

(818) 222-6062

The draw: Kitschy buffet bonanza

Sagebrush’s Sunday brunch is the lovechild of a carnival and Olvera Street. A persistent mariachi band serenades the willing (and less than) with tunes including “Who Let the Dogs Out” and Santana medleys. Not a bad way to ease into a menu offering caviar and vodka shots, Dodger Dogs and Mexican specialties. Oh yeah, there’s an omelet station too. $22.95 covers it all, including plastic cups of champagne.

Arty

Soul Folks

613 Imperial St., Los Angeles

(323) 839-3380

The draw: Loft party vibe

This art space with an at-home vibe heaps on plates of healthy soul food for local artists and downtown explorers. Guests feel as if they’re walking into proprietress Yealang Smith’s home rather than a restaurant, surrounded by colorful African American art and funky furnishings. Her pancakes are exactly how she describes them -- “orgasmic.” Hint: This is one of those places that’s so hip there’s no sign, so make sure you bring a friend to navigate the confusing streets of L.A.’s industrial district.

Restaurant at the Getty

1200 Getty Center Drive,

Los Angeles

(310) 440-7300.

The draw: Best visuals

Both the panoramic city views and the museum’s art collection enhance a sophisticated Sunday brunch menu. Hint: The parking’s a nightmare, so allow yourself an extra 35 minutes and take advantage of the wait to wander through a gallery.

Hip Crowd

The Griddle Cafe

7916 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles

(323) 874-0377

The draw: See and be seen

This is Sunset Strip’s trendiest hangover cure: The brick-walled hipster hangout still draws lines out the door (be prepared to wait an hour). Dishes include Frisbee-size pancakes and six kinds of chili that can be put atop practically anything on the menu. What to wear? Whatever you wore to the club last night will do fine -- it’s dress to impress, but the price is right. Hard to top $25, unless you drink too many bloody sakes.

Toast

8221 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles

(323) 655-5018

The draw: Young Hollywood

One of the few Sunday brunch spots where cellphones and BlackBerrys don’t take a day of rest. Be prepared to wait up to an hour with slim and stylish Juicy Couture-clad up-and-comers salivating for a delicious and healthy salad.

Hotel Splurge

Hotel Bel-Air

701 Stone Canyon Road,

Los Angeles

(310) 472-1211

The draw: Most beautiful setting

Everyone is treated like royalty at this exquisite hideaway. Brunch is served on the terrace, which overlooks the lavishly landscaped gardens complete with a footbridge and the hotel’s own Swan Lake. The garden tour is a must afterward. If you’re lucky, they’ll serve an amuse bouche of poached quail’s egg, caviar and lobster bisque on a jaunty, antique cast iron rabbit. This is a spot for special occasions; $48 per person including a glass of champagne.

Beverly Hills Hotel

9641 Sunset Blvd., Beverly Hills

(310) 276-2251

The draw: Old Hollywood

Elegant sunken brick patio, wrought iron tables and chairs awash in soft pink and green fabrics, a jazz trio so discreet you could be there for hours and never notice them. The Polo Lounge is truly a serene and idyllic setting. Plus, it’s steeped in Hollywood history. On the pricey side: $45 gets you three courses (including the classic McCarthy Salad) and a glass of champagne. Service ranges from spotty to slow.

Whist

The Viceroy Santa Monica, 1819 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica

(310) 260-7511

The draw: A buffet to convert buffet-bashers

Whist’s elegant Sunday brunch gets high marks in presentation, flavor and delivery (the food is never soggy with heat or rigid with cold). The $39 spread features dishes such as poached salmon with sauce gribiche and lamb osso bucco; at $49, it comes with champagne. And you’d never guess this peaceful haven was home to a crazy bar scene only the night before. Hint: The poolside patio is the place to sit -- hazy Sundays do nothing for the stuffy green dining room.

Loews Santa Monica

1700 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica

(310) 458-6700

The draw: Oceanside alfresco

It’s easy to lose track of time at this incredibly relaxing beachfront brunch. The Loews may not have the boutique appeal of other hotel brunches, but the casual setting (and cheerful waiters) set it apart from run-of-the-mill chain hotel brunches. The extensive buffet includes sushi and omelets, poached salmon and caviar. Request seats outside to take advantage of spectacular ocean views; $45 includes unlimited champagne.

Dim Sum

888 Seafood & Dim Sum

Empire Commercial Center

8450 E. Valley Blvd., No. 121, Rosemead

(626) 573-1888

The draw: Hong Kong style

The waiters wear bow ties, the way they do back in Hong Kong -- that’s one sign that this is not the usual cramped, noisy dim sum joint. A classic Valley Boulevard seafood palace during the week, it draws an upscale clientele on weekends with exceptional dim sum including Shanghai steamed dumplings, pork-stuffed rice noodles and taro buns that melt in your mouth. Tip: Get there before 11 a.m., because it fills up fast.

Empress Pavilion

988 N. Hill St., Los Angeles

(213) 617-9898

The draw: Cultural whirlwind

Steaming trolleys whiz past with the restaurant’s signature Peking duck, succulent dumplings and other delights. The sesame balls for dessert are not to be missed. And, same tip: Go before 11 a.m. to avoid a long wait (and to snag a parking spot in the garage beneath the building).

Virtual Getaway

Saddle Peak Lodge

419 Cold Canyon Road, Calabasas

(818) 222-3888.

The draw: Cowboy fantasy

Yearning for an afternoon in Montana? Nestled deep in the Malibu hills, this 100-year-old restaurant was once a stop on the gold mine trail, as well as a getaway for stars such as Errol Flynn and Clark Gable. Decor is patrician rustic: book-lined walls, the collections of antique guns and knives, and, eek, trophy animals lovingly hung throughout the lodge. The menu specializes in game, even on Sunday mornings. Try the sausages, or pheasant breast with Caesar salad. Or close your eyes and go for the floaty souffle pancakes. Incredibly romantic.

Las Brisas

361 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach

(949) 497-5434

The draw: View, view, view

Las Brisas’ “Mexican Riviera Brunch” is wildly popular; Sunday mornings the place is thronged with tourists and locals, soaking up breathtaking views, ceviche-to-die-for and Ramos fizzes. The four-course prix fixe menu has a kind of Mexican-Continental slant with favorites such as Crepas de Laguna -- crepes stuffed with creamy chicken or spicy scallops, shrimp and fish.