Zengo (CLOSED)

Renowned Mexican chef Richard Sandoval’s take on the boozy brunch at Zengo is unlike anything that we’ve seen in LA: $35 earns you generous All-You-Can-Eat-and-Drink privileges from its menu of Latin-fusion small plates and tasty brunch cocktails. This, of course, leads to some gleeful imbibing of drinks like the Lychee Bellini, which feels like the perfect light refresher for Zengo's rooftop patio surroundings. Though the restaurant, on the deck of Santa Monica Place, is just two blocks from the beach, views are of the Promenade—still, it’s a grand spot from which to sample innovative dishes like the Peking duck hash with plantains, Thai chicken empanadas and kaffir chilequiles.