For celebrity chef Chris Santos, life is too short for boring food.

The dessert wonder wheel offers a multitude of sweet treats to share around the table. (photo by Jill Weinlein)

Santos, a judge on the popular cooking show “Chopped” and the executive chef and founder of Beauty & Essex in New York, Las Vegas and Hollywood’s Dream Hotel complex, was in town recently to reveal his new seasonal menu, fittingly titled “A Taste of Beauty.”

Santos’ dishes are never dull. They’re creative, vibrant and flavorful, starting with his grilled cheese, smoked bacon and cream of tomato soup dumplings and ending with a Ferris wheel filled with a variety of desserts.

Guests walk under a Beauty & Essex sign into a pawn shop-inspired space where glass cases display vintage jewelry, and custom guitars hang on the walls alongside unique art. Beyond this room is a secret door that opens into a grand reception area with a sweeping spiral staircase, through which guests can access the 10,00 sq. ft., two-story, peacock-themed dining room,  bathed in natural light from an enormous oval skylight.

Once seated, we started with coctails of Light It Up Bramble – a refreshing lavender-blue drink made with vodka, blueberry jam, fresh lemon, and simple syrup. My husband chose the Beauty Elixir, made with London dry gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, strawberry puree and sparking rosé wine. This pretty pink drink had a garnish of sliced cucumber floating on top.

Santos makes innovative comfort dishes, including the aforementioned grilled cheese, which arrived on four red spoons of round wontons individually filled with different cheese, bacon and creamy Roma tomato soup.

The avocado toast is comprised of three toasted pieces of bread topped with chunky guacamole, flash-fried kale leaves and a drizzle of Espelette – a popular Basque region red pepper sauce.

The table was also wowed by the small and crunchy taco-shaped wontons filled with cubes of red tuna, chopped radish and cilantro. A sesame seed aioli with a soy sauce-based wasabi and seaweed topped the tacos.

We ordered two salads – a burrata and beet salad with farmers market blackberries for sweetness and a blistered shiso pepper pesto puree for an earthy essence.

The black tea smoked duck salad could be a meal all on its own. Eight perfectly cooked duck breast medallions are complemented by satsuma slices, chopped almonds and a poached egg on top.

For entrees, we ordered the half roast chicken, which is cut into various pieces and plated with a bright orange carrot puree on one side and  a thick swirl of green onion chimichurri. By dipping the chicken into the two sauces, guests can balance sweetness with a zesty heat.

One of my favorite dishes was three large seared scallops placed on a bed of jasmine rice with yellow lentils and topped with a garlicky mojo sauce and toasted sesame seeds.

For side dishes, we selected the Spanish tapas favorite – patatas bravo. Roasted Yukon gold potatoes were mixed with guajillo chile and chive glaze. We also enjoyed plump asparagus spears tossed  with white soy, chili oil and toasted garlic.

As our meal progressed and the day turned to night, the jubilant ambiance of Beauty & Essex came to life. Pantages Theater goers finished their pre-show meals, and tables were filled with diners celebrating birthdays, bachelorette parties and romantic dates.

That’s also when we first noticed the blue wonder wheel desserts being paraded through the room. It takes two hands to transport each of the metal Ferris wheels, which are decorated with small bright white lights and carry eight bucket-style containers overflowing with blueberry rice crispy treats, crunchy nut brittle, caramel popcorn, Twix tarts and sugared donuts holes.

Beauty & Essex offers several indoor and outdoor lounges, bars and dining rooms. For those looking for an old Hollywood feel, the Pearl Lounge and its hundreds of pearl strings might be the spot. Others might enjoy the art deco Locket Room, which displays one-of-a-kind locket necklaces hanging on gold chains. For an al fresco experience, check out the outdoor lounge overlooking a dining patio below, which is a popular overflow area during warm spring and summer nights.

All told, Beauty & Essex offers a tantalizing atmosphere and takes beautiful comfort food to a new level.

Beauty & Essex is open for dinner from 6 to 11 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and from 6 p.m. to midnight on Thursdays and Fridays. The restaurant is open from 5 p.m. to midnight on Saturdays and from 3 to 8 p.m. on Sundays, but it’s closed on Mondays. $$$ 1615 Cahuenga Blvd., (323)676-8880.