The nostalgia here is so now

LES Deux Cafe is the crown jewel in the Dolce Group’s budding empire.

The chic French lounge is the Dolce partners’ first excursion from A-list restaurants -- the company has Geisha House, Dolce Enoteca and Bella -- to A-list nightclubs, and they didn’t miss a beat.

And how could they? Les Deux was perfect. Former owner Michelle Lamy created a spot that was Paris West. It was all white-washed chic and cozy, something akin to the home of an artistic aristocrat with a devil-may-care attitude. When Dolce’s Lonnie Moore found out this playground was up for grabs, he found its charms simply irresistible.

“It had such good bones and good nostalgia,” says Moore, a former TV exec turned nightlife impresario. “It was that rare club that didn’t try to squeeze every dollar out of it. It was all about having a good time.”

Between fabulous movie premiere parties, where you could swap tales with the likes of Catherine Deneuve or Madonna, to lunch meetings with Hollywood heavies, Les Deux Cafe could always be relied on for a memorable time. And if you wanted it to be Paris in the ‘20s, you could squint and imagine yourself there because it was just so pretty and French retro.

Rather than kick out the memories, the Dolce Group capitalized on them. Or rather, elongated them. The once compact restaurant is now a spacious Euro-style lounge, with a large patio -- a key selling point -- and a double-decker interior that offers a lot of bang for the buck.

“The most fantastic change to Les Deux is when you walk from room to room, there’s something different for every type of entertainment,” says Dino Kous, an entertainment executive who frequents the club on Thursdays and Saturdays. “You can hang outside and meet people, you can go inside and dance, you can go upstairs where there’s a fireplace and balconies, there are so many different moods and settings.”

Designers Tony Shubert and Dax Miller followed Les Deux’s cues and merely tweaked them. From the ornate ironwork of the balconies, the ivy twirling down the club’s rock walls to the spot-on sexy lighting, every detail is nicely done.

Maybe the reason Christina Aguilera, the Hilton sisters, Joaquin Phoenix and Eva Longoria are repeat customers is the succulent lighting. Even a toad would look handsome at Les Deux, but more than likely, you’ll be meeting princes and princesses. Longoria had a party there last week, and the place is so hot most nights, you’d be better off getting some shut-eye than trying to pole-vault your way past the huddle at the door.

But here’s a tip: Sweet Thursdays, when the nightclub passes out free cupcakes all night, is the easiest night to crash at the door. If you can find the door. (Walk halfway through the parking lot off Las Palmas Avenue -- between Hollywood and Selma avenues -- and either look for the velvet rope or ask the valet.)

ALTHOUGH the celebrity factor is in full effect at Les Deux most of the six nights it’s open, it’s much easier to see your way to the front of the rope on Thursdays. But if you’ve got even the slightest bit of game, you might want to try Saturdays. The night is hosted by Dolce partners Moore, Mike Malin and Sylvain Bitton -- a San Francisco expat whose family owned such NorCal restaurants as Fleur de Lys and Roberts. Although Saturdays are still star-studded, it seems to be the night when the stars come out to meet the regular folk and a good time is easily had.

“How much do you love this place?” asks Jorge Greco, a designer waiting for his date in the hallway outside the nightclub’s powder room. “I feel like I’m in Miami or something. Like, finally a club with good energy in L.A.”

“This is my favorite club,” actor Jesse Metcalfe says. “I’ve traveled around the world, and I haven’t found a place I like more than this.”

Along with pleasing the palates of actors, the 2-month-old venue has found another tasty niche. Rather than serve food, Les Deux is simply serving desserts -- and then only until 11 p.m. Items like red velvet, carrot and chocolate chip cupcakes are favorites.

On Sunday afternoons, the club hosts a barbecue driven by global beats.

But no matter how popular Les Deux is today, how does one stay hot in a city where the heat jumps around quicker than Paris and Lindsay change boyfriends?

Moore says that’s a no-brainer.

“The bottom line is, a lot of clubs don’t know the meaning of customer service,” he says. “We come from a restaurant background, and when you bring that into a club environment, you’re really setting yourself apart.”

That, and the free cupcakes.

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Heidi Siegmund Cuda may be reached at weekend@ latimes.com.

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Les Deux Cafe

Where: 1638 Las Palmas Ave., Hollywood

When: 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sundays

Price: No cover; reservations recommended; 21 and older unless accompanied by adult

Info: (323) 462-7674; www.lesdeuxhollywood.com