Shanghai Chic In The East 60s: Philippe To Open December 20

For Immediate Release

Photos, recipes available.


Shanghai Chic in the East 60s: Philippe To Open December 20


New York: Philippe Chow, longtime chef at the legendary Mr. Chow, will take over the helm at Philippe, a contemporary Chinese restaurant located at 33 East 60th Street. The 240-seat, two-story restaurant, located in the former RM space, will open December 20. Reservations: 212-644-8885. Fax: 212-644-8889. Website: www.philippechow.com.

Philippe will be open daily for lunch and dinner and weekend brunch. The menu will offer a selection of main dishes intended for sharing, such as nine seasons spicy prawns ($40 for two), drunken sea bass served in white wine ($42 for two), Peking duck ($50 for two), crispy pork loin with salt and pepper ($36 for two) and crispy center- cut beef cooked in an XO sauce ($39 for two). Half orders are available for all main dishes. Restaurant guests may also choose to order a 10-course tasting menu for $50 per person. The lunch menu will offer both a la carte selections as well as a three-course prix-fixe menu for $20.06.

Creative noodles and dumplings will be a signature at Philippe. Each night at 8 p.m. in the restaurant's dining room, Noodle and Pastry Chef Wai Ming Cheng will conduct a live demonstration for making hand-pulled noodles. Philippe's menu will feature no less than eight variations of either steamed or stir-fried dumplings and Cheng's specialty, hand-made noodles with pork bean sauce. Noodle and dumpling selections will range from $7 to $14 per plate.

Philippe Chow was born in China in 1958 and went to Hong Kong at age 16 where he spent five years working in various kitchens receiving hands-on training. He came to the U.S. in 1979 and began working at Mr. Chow (no relation) in 1980. He remained at Mr. Chow for the next 25 years until departing this past September to partner with Philippe's co-owners Stratis Morfogen and Howard Stein (partners in Au Bar).
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Overseeing the preparation of all noodle and dumpling dishes and desserts is Wai Ming Cheng, who worked as a noodle and pastry chef in Hong Kong for 20 years. For the past five years, Cheng worked at Mr. Chow in New York, where he perfected his elaborate hands-on noodle making presentation. Selections from Cheng's pastry menu will include pumpkin cake, candied apple fritters, sweet bean cake and black sesame rolls. Desserts will be $7 each.

General Manager Dimitri Kyroulis (formerly of Le Colonial, La Goulue and La Grenouille) has overseen the creation of Philippe's wine list which will feature an international selection of 120 bottles. The wine cellar will double as a private event space, seating up to 30 customers. Philippe will offer 10 to 12 wines by the glass each night.

Philippe's minimalist dicor will be a background of glossy white with accents of brown, black and red in the banquettes, chairs and bar area and ambient candle light throughout the dining room.

The restaurant will employ a staff of 50. In addition to the private event space for 30 in the wine cellar, Philippe will be able to accommodate parties up to 350 standing (240 seated) in the entire restaurant, and 150 standing (120 seated) in the second floor dining room. Philippe will also offer off-premise catering for private events, and Chef Chow will be available to personally cook at private dinners.

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