If the taste buds of local Angelenos share any similarities with those of talent manager Manny Halley, good news arrived in Beverly Hills last November: Philippe Chow of New York fame opened its second location in Southern California under Halley’s ownership.
As the manager of some of the most prominent figures in the hip-hop scene, Halley explained that Philippe Chow’s restaurant was a place he always went to eat when he went to New York and has aided in attracting many a hip-hop star to the Beverly Hills location.
“I always had that entrepreneur spirit,” Halley has said.
Halley has assisted in maintaining the consistency of the Philippe Chow restaurant, with its signature black-and-red color scheme with subtle hints of white.
The sleek interior design enhances the trendy, yet tranquil atmosphere of the restaurant.
The front of the restaurant holds an open kitchen adjacent to a bustling bar area, and there are rooms for more private dining available toward the center and back end of the restaurant.
The combination of intimate seating arrangements, dim lighting, and upbeat background music allow for lively conversation while waiting for the food to arrive.
A typical weekend night sees crowded rooms of customers eager to dine on Philippe Chow’s signature menu items.
General manager Oscar Alvarado explained the masterminds at work in the kitchen.
“We have about five chefs, all from China,”Alvarado said.
Chef Steven Fang is currently “the face of Philippe Chow” and has been trained by Chow himself.
Some sections of the extensive menu have a specialized chef who heads particular dishes: for instance, Chef Wei Ming Cheng is in charge of the noodles and dumplings served at the restaurant. Chef Fang also specially prepares the Peking (duck and chicken) dishes with house made pancakes.
General manager Oscar Alvarado, who has been with the restaurant since its beginnings, revealed the trending dishes among his clientele.
“Our lettuce wraps are really popular,” Alvarado said. “But our chicken satay are definitely the most requested.”
The restaurant’s spin on the popular Malaysian dish consists of chicken skewers with Chef Chow’s famous cream sauce generously poured over the meat. This simple but savory choice is one of several appetizers that spotlight various kinds of flavors through the incorporation of a range of ingredients, from spicy to sour to sweet components that complement one another.
Available are more unique choices like the chicken lettuce wraps with plum sauce and the salted sweet seaweed with walnuts, but classic Chinese cuisine like eggrolls, noodles, and dumplings are also offered with a variety of meats.
The main dishes do not fail to provide an array of options. Diners can find familiar dishes like chicken fried rice and sweet-and-sour chicken, in addition to the hand-pulled noodles (available with chicken, pork, veal, or vegetarian sauce) and the Philippe Surf & Turf, which are options unique to Philippe Chow.
As for Alvarado, his “personal favorite dish is the nine-season spicy prawns,” which is a stand-out dish that boasts an irresistible aroma and an addicting, savory taste.
The restaurant proves its attention to detail through its standard side dishes (the broccoli, bok choi, and string beans in particular), as they are prepared with savory seasonings that create stand-out dishes out of seemingly trivial vegetables.
Philippe Chow also has a daily happy hour special from 5 pm to 8 pm, with $5 drink specials and $7 appetizers.
The restaurant originally opened in West Hollywood in 2009 and relocated to Beverly Hills in 2013. Philippe Chow will celebrate its first-year anniversary in Beverly Hills on Nov. 21.
Philippe Chow is open for lunch Monday through Friday 12 pm to 3:30 pm. Dinner hours are Monday through Sunday from 5:30 pm with the last reservation at 10 pm.
For more information, call 310.289.3500 or visit philippechowbh.com.
