MARY FURR -- DINING OUT

Sunday Champagne Brunch at Louise’s Trattoria on the top floor of the

Pierside Pavilion at Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street in Huntington

Beach has something for everyone. There’s the glass-protected outside

balcony with its priceless view of the Pacific and its casually friendly

inside dining room with the buffet stretching along the open kitchen.

Servers bring fresh-squeezed orange juice to the table or fill flutes

of champagne and then I like to begin at the buffet with fruits --

there’s dewy slices of melons and strawberries the size of apricots --

salads, a big bowl of mixed greens and a well-seasoned bow-tie pasta with

ripe olives.

Before I begin lifting the lids of hot entrees, I give my order for an

omelet to Chef Angel Miranda, who swirls the egg mix in a hot pan to fill

with my choice of fresh chopped tomato, bell pepper, mushrooms, onions

and cheese from bowls in front of his station.

Then on to lift lids over rich egg benedict on English muffin halves

topped with ham and hollandaise sauce, pans of very crisp lean bacon and

plump sausages. Carne asada, medium sized, mostly tender squares of beef

lavishly covered with mushrooms, tasty tender chicken slices with chunky

tomato and onions are very good, but my choice for a super dish is pink

salmon in a rosemary cream sauce so fresh you can smell the herbs as you

bite into the fish. It’s a favorite of server Laura Steiner, who says she

gets it every Sunday when she comes to work.

Sergio Villa, who maintains the buffet, succeeds in keeping the food

hot and moist -- a hard to do chore. Labeling the selections on the steam

table would also be a big help especially those prepared in sauce.

Hot Belgian waffles and triangles of French toast begin the breakfast

breads -- not to miss are the blueberry blintzs, tender thin pancakes fat

with juicy blueberries. This is the section to satisfy hard-to-please

kids -- beneath one silver dome is pepperoni pizza, sliced and ready to

add to their plates. One unusual pastry here looks like a doughnut hole

but actually is a deep-fried pastry ball filled with thick creamy

custard. How’s that for young customer satisfaction?

According to Manager Steve Speer, on Easter Sunday the buffet will be

expanded to include two omelet stations, shrimp on ice and other special

dishes at the regular Sunday Brunch price of $14.95.

The view of surf curling around the pier is free -- Louise’s Easter

gift to you.

* MARY FURR is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have comments

or suggestions for her, call (562) 493-5062.

LOUISE’S TRATTORIA

* WHERE: 300 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach

* PHONE: (714) 960-0996

* HOURS: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Easter Sunday Brunch

* MISC: Validated parking on Walnut Street. Reservations accepted.

Credit cards accepted.