Now playing: A Chinese Tale, Philippe Goes West

Written, directed, and starring chef Philippe Chow (whose credits include Peking Duck Does New York; its sequel, Peking Duck Does Miami; and cult favorites Glazed Spare Ribs or Bust, Night of the Crabmeat Soup Dumplings and Let It Maine Lobster Spring Roll) with a cameo by chef Wai Ming Cheng (Mr. Cheng’s Hand-Pulled Noodles).

Set in West Hollywood, the story unfolds inside a slick Hollywood Regency-style room, decked out in white, black, and red with modern Asian accents like black bamboo. Action starts with lunch — three courses for $20.10 — and, after a short lull, kicks up again for dinner, where the lychee martinis and Sheng Lungs (muddled Asian pear, basil, honey, and vodka) fly alongside plates of haute Chinese cuisine with fresh flair. What goes on in the cellar/fourteen-seat private dining room remains a mystery.

Call for showtimes.

Philippe, 8284 Melrose Avenue, at North Sweetzer Avenue, West Hollywood (323-951-1100 or philippechow.com).

Photo: Courtesy of Andy Lai