L.A.: a town built on the concept of reinvention.

Take telecom exec-turned-real estate developer-turned-hotelier (Viceroy, Estrella)-turned-film producer Sam Nazarian. (And you thought you had trouble holding down a job). He’s turned the famously shabby Coconut Teaszer space into a restaurant/supper club called Shelter.

The place is, in a word, dark: a study in black, black, and dark grey. And while it’s received an obvious face-lift, classic details remain — like the bullet holes in the fireplace mantel (remnants of an ’80s gun battle) and a basement grotto. Waitresses wear shredded outfits (in tones of you-know-what) and foot-high Mohawks, while skinny, scowling, androgynous performance artists, wearing feathered wings prowl the club’s murky recesses. An exotic martini bar, dance floors, and an outdoor smoking patio are all draws, but Shelter’s secret weapon could well be the four-course tasting menu for $30.

For the moment the new spot is open only on weekends and for private parties, but it’s already attracted the Hollywood canoodlers Ashton and Demi, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Gisele and Leo.

So, despite the shadowy surroundings, you’re always assured a bit of local color.

Shelter, 8117 Sunset Boulevard, at Crescent Heights Boulevard (323-654-0030).