Friday, 4 PM. Main Street, Santa Monica. As the weekend draws near, soft rays of the afternoon sun filter through the elegant Art Nouveau windows of Chinois on Main — a place frequented by some of the biggest stars in the world.
Waiters bustle between the tables, drawing up the curtains to let in the light. It streams in, dancing across the intricate patterns of the painted crane statues. In the kitchen, the evening preparations begin, while from its quiet perch above the bar, the serene gaze of an authentic Buddha head watches over it all. In just an hour, Chinois will open its doors once again, as it has done for the past 41 years.
The final touches are always handled by one person — Bella Lantsman.
Lantsman has been with the restaurant since its inception. Starting as a bookkeeper in the early months of Chinois’s opening, she has risen to become co-owner and partner with the renowned chef Wolfgang Puck and the interior designer and philanthropist Barbara Lazaroff. Over a cup of tea before the restaurant opened, Bella shared the rich history and unique charm of Chinois on Main, discussing its legendary dishes, notable guests, and why so many musicians consider it their home and source of inspiration.
— Bella, you’ve come a long way from being a bookkeeper to becoming a co-owner of Chinois on Main, dedicating much of your life to the restaurant. How do you feel about this journey?
— Having been with this restaurant for 41 years, I have no regrets about this journey. It has been amazing from the beginning to the current time, which has given me the opportunity to meet incredible people, work with amazing people, and be partners with Wolfgang Puck and Barbara Lazaroff. It's just a dream come true. Those are the people who inspire. Those are the people who make you feel very comfortable and whom you want to prove you can make it.
— What is the concept behind Chinois on Main?
— This restaurant is French, Chinese, and Asian-inspired. This is a place where, in 1983, fusion cuisine was born.
The restaurant still looks amazing, but 41 years ago, it was a sensation. You couldn't even dream of getting in here; people had to wait for a reservation—three or four months because we are not such a big restaurant. The food is absolutely out of this world.
— What inspired the creation of the unique dishes on your menu?
— As I said, Wolfgang loved Asian food. So when he and Barbara decided to open Chinois, they wanted it to be Asian fusion. Sometimes the food was created spontaneously; sometimes we didn’t even know how it came out, but it was born. For instance, our Shanghai lobster is considered one of the best dishes. We even won on the Food Network in the program, "The Best Dish I Ever Ate," and it became number one. It was born on one New Year's Eve when they ran out of lobsters and made a mistake. Wolfgang came in and said, “Okay, we’re going to take the lobster out of the shell. We’ll have a bed of jasmine rice, put the curry oyster on top, and some crispy spinach.” And that’s how the famous Shanghai lobster was born.
— How has the interior of the restaurant evolved over the years?
— We haven’t changed it. In my opinion, the interior is unique and stands out. These are the original tables—41 years old. The entire decor has stayed the same. Barbara Lazaroff used three colors: fuchsia, celadon green, and black. We’ve preserved her original design because the art, tile work, and hood are all custom-made. While it's easy to remodel, it's challenging to keep everything intact. The hood, for instance, is copper and requires considerable effort to clean, as does all the tile work in the kitchen that Barbara designed. Some might say it’s an '80s restaurant and outdated, but you don’t feel that when you walk in. The Orchid Window, another of Barbara’s creations, is unique and irreplaceable. We strive to maintain its original charm while upgrading elements like bathrooms, chairs, lighting, air conditioning, and the roof.
— What is the significance of the crane sculptures in the restaurant?
— These are a pair of antique cranes brought from mainland China. They are handmade and took about seven years to create. They’re candle holders and have been with us for 41 years. We also have an antique Buddha from mainland China. Many objects here are antiques, including the wall frame and Asian-inspired garments. Barbara often changes the artwork to keep things interesting. For example, the current piece features repeated figures, which is quite unique.
— What’s the story behind the restaurant's name?
— The name "Chinois" means "Chinese" in French. It was chosen by Barbara and Wolfgang before I joined. The name became so popular that people now recognize it as a unique name rather than just a reference to Chinese cuisine. Seymour Cassel, the former famous actor who lived across the street, once said, 'When I tell people that I live across from Chinois, they know exactly where I live.'
— Are there any dishes on your menu that are "classics" of Chinois on Main, or something that’s been served since the restaurant opened?
— We try to keep the classics since we opened because these are the dishes guests crave. Some people even fly in from places like Atlanta just to have our catfish or lamb chops.
Our classic dishes include the Chinois chicken salad, tempura tuna sashimi with fresh uni sauce, calamari and rock shrimp salad, whole sizzling catfish with warm ponzu sauce, and Shanghai lobster with curry sauce. It's something that people drive here from God knows where just to enjoy those dishes. The consistency ensures that guests aren’t disappointed by varying tastes from day to day. This is because our kitchen staff has been here for many years. We are proud to have line cooks who have been with us for over 20 years, which is quite rare.
— What is the key to such loyalty?
— The secret, you know, is that I work with people, not against people. You try to make everyone proud of the work they do. The staff here is incredible. This restaurant, in 41 years, has had only three chefs, which is unheard of for a restaurant. Of course, Wolfgang Puck, who owns the restaurant, is the chef, but René Mata, who is our executive chef right now—he’s been with us for 37 years! The sous chef has been with me for 30 years, the pastry chef for around 30 years, and the bartender for almost 39 years. I have had waiters from day one. I jokingly call it a dysfunctional family. But as we all know, a dysfunctional family works. We support each other.
Even our loyal customers, whom we call friends, who come here year after year for so many years, are like family to us. I have one customer who, when she’s in a bad mood, tells her husband, “Let’s go home,” which means let’s go to Chinois. This is a restaurant where so many proposals were made, where people had their first job interviews, where people got married. What's interesting is that it's generation after generation. Just recently, a regular customer came with his wife and two young children and sat at this table. He told his children that at this table, his grandfather had sat, then their grandmother, and now it’s him and them—four generations of a family still coming to the restaurant. That’s what makes us proud, inspiring us to deliver more and more. We are very loyal to Wolfgang and Barbara for the opportunity they gave us to work for such an amazing, I would say, historical restaurant that is still very popular after so many years.
— Who are some of the most famous and memorable guests who have visited your restaurant, and what did they enjoy most from your menu?
— It’s a restaurant where so many stars have felt at home—from Barbra Streisand to Tom Cruise, Madonna, and Sean Penn, as well as longtime patrons like Lauren Bacall and Kenny G, who is also involved with ISINA.
The stories are amazing, and the most important thing is that all these years, we were able to maintain the consistency in food and service.
Kenny G used to come here with his son and would sit at the dining counter. Babyface also came here frequently, though not every day. Barbara Streisand celebrated her birthday here for many years—probably about 15. I used to organize her birthday parties in April. I have pictures with her hanging in my office. We know each other well, and we’re very proud to be a part of her celebrations.
We also have pictures of celebrities hanging around the restaurant as part of our anniversary celebrations. We scanned 8,000 pictures for our 40th anniversary and have historical photos representing 41 years of Chinois. People recognize themselves in these pictures, and we give them copies.
— How do you maintain such a high rate of repeat customers at Chinois?
— You have to love what you do and be very attentive to your customers. People come here to have a good time, and we have to deliver that. You can’t be indifferent; you need to greet everyone with a lot of respect and give them as much as they’re expecting for the night.
You have to treat everyone and make sure you don’t miss anyone, even with a small, “How are you doing? Is everything okay?” You have to make sure if you see something might not be right at the table. For instance, if I see a plate is not done, I will come up with everything. “Okay, maybe you didn’t like it. Maybe I can replace it. What can I do for you?” When people feel this attention, when people feel that someone cares about them, they feel at home and want to come back. That’s very, very important. I’m very proud that our repeat customer rate is almost 60%, which is amazing that so many people keep coming back.
You greet everyone at the door. You say hello. Some people you hug, some you shake hands. I remember one day my grandson was sitting here at the table and looked at me and said, “Grandma, is this your job, just to hug people?” I said, “Yep, that’s exactly what I do. I hug and kiss people, nothing else.” [laughs]
— Chinois on Main is known for its unique transformations for different events throughout the year. How do you create these special experiences?
— Chinois hosts numerous events throughout the year, with several long-standing traditions we proudly maintain. One of the most popular is Halloween, where we transform the restaurant into a spooky place with entertainment and everyone dressed up, including me and the customers. Another big event is Chinese New Year, where the restaurant is transformed with traditional dragon dances, decorations, and party favors, creating the atmosphere of China. There’s a special menu, and people love it so much they make reservations a year in advance. For Valentine’s Day, we create a romantic atmosphere with music, beautiful decorations, and an intimate setting. People return year after year because they know the menu, décor, and ambience will be exceptional. Our New Year’s Eve celebration features bands, dancing, a special menu, and a balloon drop. It’s very popular.
Additionally, Wolfgang has another restaurant called Merois that will be hosting the Mid-Autumn Festival this year. This event, which involves several of Wolfgang Puck’s restaurants including Chinois and Spago, is set for September 20th. It will feature beautiful menus, incredible drinks, entertainment, and traditional dragon dances.
— Dragon dances?
— Yes, dancers perform along the bar in dragon costumes, just like at Spago, where the show includes drums and other elements. It’s truly spectacular, full of energy, tradition, and history. During Chinese New Year, depending on the zodiac—whether it's the year of the dog, dragon, snake, or another sign—we also include special performances alongside the dragon dancers. For example, if it’s the year of the dog, we might have everyone dressed as dogs. And they’ll come running in and ask, "Who let the dogs out?" Then they scatter and dance all over the restaurant. For example, if it’s the Year of the Snake, I might invite someone to perform with a snake. Each year, we try to be as creative as possible. I’ve done this for the third cycle now—the zodiac has 12 signs, so 12 years. We even create custom tablecloths for each year; for the Year of the Dragon, the tablecloths feature dragons. I never imagined I’d be doing this for the fourth cycle, but here I am, starting my 36th zodiac year.
— How do you envision the restaurant in the future?
— We aim to stay current and continuously improve while staying true to our core concept. It’s essential to keep offering new and exciting experiences to bring our guests back. We’re always introducing special items to surprise and delight our regulars. For example, we offer daily specials like yellowtail crudo and soft-shell crab that aren’t on the regular menu but add variety for our guests.
This month marks our 41st anniversary, and we’ve introduced special menus to celebrate. Each week features a different menu, and we finish by giving everyone a small birthday cake with a candle, encouraging them to make a wish for the future of the restaurant.
— What’s your wish for Chinois?
— To survive the times. To deliver what we promised, to ensure peace on Earth—the most important thing—and to go on and on and on.
