‘Chopped’ judge Chris Santos to open Hollywood restaurant

Chris Santos is opening a location of his New York City restaurant Beauty & Essex, known for its pawn shop entrance and four dining rooms, in Hollywood. The opening is slated for sometime in 2016.

You may have seen Santos on more than a couple episodes of the Food Network series “Chopped.”He’s also the chef-owner of the 10-year-old Stanton Social in New York City.

Details are slim on the Los Angeles outlet of Beauty & Essex, but what we do know is that the location will be somewhere in Hollywood, and you can bet on whimsical dishes — and some opulent decor.

The original location features a menu of grilled cheese and tomato soup dumplings, crostini topped with roasted bone marrow, and tea-infused cocktails. And as for the decor, think a pearl chandelier and a dining room made to look like the inside of a vintage jewelry box.

When we get more details, we’ll be sure to fill you in.

I like the idea of jewelry with my champagne. Follow me on Twitter @Jenn_Harris_

ALSO:

Robots that serve beer? Thanks, MIT.

House of Bao opens in Chinatown, serves pigs’ ears and dumplings next to Wal-Mart

Wolfgang Puck is having a BBQ with Adam Perry Lang; Torrance plans 4-day Japanese food fair