How a Small Parisian Restaurant Became the Go-to Spot for A-Listers

""Nothing was more exciting and glamorous than going to Davé in Paris in the 1980s," writes Sofia Coppola in the foreword for A Night at Davé, a new photo book published by Idea which pays homage to Paris' infamous rive droite restaurant and all who frequented during its zenith. "Davé was the place to be." Discreetly tucked away behind a red lacquer door on Rue Saint-Roch was a small, dimly lit Chinese eatery, Davé."

"Its air thick with perfume, cigarette smoke and gossip, Davé was the most fashionable and exclusive restaurant in Paris for three decades, populated by stars from the fashion, film, art and music worlds. Among them: Iggy Pop, Rei Kawakubo, Yoko Ono, Madonna, Jeanne Moreau, Janet Jackson, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Keith Haring. All who went quickly came to know the restaurant's charismatic owner, Tai Cheung, otherwise known as Davé."

A collection of Polaroids preserves the atmosphere of Davé, a now-closed Chinese eatery tucked behind a red lacquer door on Rue Saint-Roch. The restaurant's air was thick with perfume, cigarette smoke and gossip, and it became Paris's most fashionable, exclusive spot for three decades. The regulars included stars from fashion, film, art and music, and the charismatic owner Tai Cheung photographed guests with a Polaroid camera, pinning prints on the walls to create a personal hall of fame. The portraits capture stolen moments and a pre-social-media culture of memory and glamour, inspired by Andy Warhol and Jean-Baptiste Mondino.

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