Settling within the Entertainment District, Chic Chinoise is a multi-form venue operating as a full-scale restaurant by day and by Thursday night turns into a full-swing party space. Borrowing from the French “stylish Chinese,” Chic Chinoise presents a large space, opening to an oblong room with plenty of seating (a total of 280 to be exact), brimming with white banquettes opposite silver leather padded seats. It’s clear that the space plays with a spherical theme—the main dining area is adorned with miniature glass globes, hanging loops of varying size, and beaded curtains—all of which act as a sort of partition between the eatery and the bar. The long bar is decorated with a pebbled mosaic of blue and white, and supporting beams are painted with chocolaty brown circles.

Chic Chinoise serves up an extensive a la carte menu, nearing 100 items spanning dim sum, vegetarian plates, seafood, noodles, and rice. Prix Fixe is provided daily and offers a good conglomeration of their bill of fare. A lunchtime set menu gives a trio of options—one, for instance, starts with steamed shrimp dumplings and a choice of soups (hot and sour, sweet corn, or vegetable), with satay beef tenderloin fried egg noodle as the main, and chilled coconut pudding for dessert. For dinner, try the “B” set—a crispy shrimp roll, tom yum kung soup with shrimp or a garden salad with honey Dijon dressing, spare ribs tossed in a sweet Hunan sauce with stir-fried veggies and Japanese u-don, and finished with creamy coconut jelly cake.

 

From Thursday to Saturday, when the dinner crowd’s appetite is sated, the floor is cleared of its tables and chairs. The early weekend is kicked off with live jazz, Fridays see DJs spinning old school and R & B, and Saturdays are reserved for house and mainstream beats. If you dine at Chic Chinoise, they will waive the cover charge. A private room in the rear is perfect for secluded affairs, seating a maximum of 75 guests.