Bossa Nova Brunch Plays Just the Right Tune for a Sunday Afternoon

Sweet samba rhythms played at just the right volume by Alyse & Téka, the live jazz duo who greets us as we walk out onto the pleasantly sunny patio to check out the El Encanto’s new Bossa Nova Brunch Menu, now available every Sunday.

While the flavors of Brazil provided the initial inspiration for the menu (apparently several members of the Belmond property’s management team come from Brazil and were part of the taste-testing team), the brunch itself has the broader flavors of Latin America built into its offerings as well. And for the purists, brunch classics like eggs Benedict, bagels and lox, steak and eggs, and the Santa Barbara Madame (an organic egg atop avocado, ham, mornay sauce, and gruyère on a brioche roll) are all available as well. Plus there’s that ocean view, which is an excellent selling point in any language. 

We started out with a pretty plate of pão de queijo. These Brazilian cheese rolls were familiar from other Latin American dining experiences, but the El Encanto version is particularly light and airy and accompanied by colorful thin slices of mango, dragon fruit, and kiwi.

The service, provided this time by Hugo, was spot-on, like every experience I’ve ever had at the El Encanto, dating way, way back to when my grandmother used to take us there for special treats like the Floating Island dessert. Hugo had already provided my nonfat latte at the perfect temperature when he told us about the brunch cocktail offerings, which include the S.B. Bloody Mary; passion fruit, mango, and strawberry caipirinhas (with Brazilian cachaça), and the Riviera Mimosas and peach bellinis (both of which are made with Moët & Chandon Champagne, très chic). For goal-oriented day drinkers, the bottomless brunch price tag for those cocktails (with Moët) is a bargain at $30, but I had work to do that afternoon, so I skipped the alcohol — this time!

We did, however, indulge in a veritable feast, including shared plates of blistered shishito peppers, creamed elote (this not-so-spicy breakfast version of the Mexican charred corn had cotija cheese, lime, and tajin), and a gorgeous guava cinnamon roll, which came out hot in a cast-iron pan before Hugo poured the warm spiced-cream-cheese icing over it at our table. Astoundingly, it wasn’t sticky sweet but had rather subtle and sophisticated notes of both the warm cinnamon and the fruity guava flavors. 

[Click to enlarge] Sonho de Padaria made by Hook & Press (left) and (L-R): Guava cinnamon roll, blistered shishito peppers, and creamed elote | Credit: Leslie Dinaberg

Executive Chef Alex Bollinger (whom I’d met years ago when he opened the Bacara’s Angel Oak) brought out his new creation, the Feijoada Breakfast Burrito, which he explained is based on Brazil’s national dish, and that Feijoada is a stew loaded with black beans and a variety of meats. This well-balanced version has carnitas, black beans, scrambled eggs, red quinoa, kale, potatoes, aged cheddar, and molcajete salsa, and it was hearty enough that I took some home and ate half of it for lunch the next day.

Though our bellies were extremely full at this point (my husband also had the classic eggs Benedict and deemed them delicious), we couldn’t resist trying one more bossa nova–spirited dish when Hugo explained that the Sonho de Padaria (Brazilian crème-filled mini donuts) were made specially for the El Encanto by the 2023 Independent Best of Santa Barbara® winner Hook & Press. These little custard treats were the height of yumminess and an excellent way to cap off a very sweet Sunday. 

The Bossa Nova Brunch is available every Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at El Encanto, a Belmond Hotel (800 Alvarado Pl.), with live music and à la carte menu items in the $20-$40 range. See belmond.com/hotels/north-america/usa/ca/santa-barbara/belmond-el-encanto/dining for reservations.