Located on the fringe between Beverly Hills and the Sunset Strip, Joss has a minimalist yet welcoming decor of beige linen chairs, white tablecloths, and tiny halogen lights suspended over each table. The entryway's ever-present sherry decanter hints at the surprisingly well-chosen and affordable wine list, compiled by owner Cecile Tang Shu Shuen, whose inventive menu takes Chinese essentials beyond your expectations -- not by creating fussy "fusion" dishes, but by subtly manipulating ingredients and preparations according to her superb artist's palate. Fried rice is spiked with the tang of dried black beans and ginger; velvety curry sauce is creamed with coconut milk and tossed with chicken; and tender beef is marinated with spicy red chilis but mellowed with tangerine liqueur. You could make a meal of the dozen dim sum varieties, which include delicately steamed dumplings served in stacked bamboo steaming trays, crisp-bottom pot stickers filled with Peking duck or lamb and leeks, and crispy wonton or spring rolls. Desserts, never overly sweet, complement Joss's sublime meals perfectly. The restaurant's location draws many celebrities and industry honchos -- but gawking is definitely uncool.