Archive for October 2nd, 2009

Philippe, Chinese Restaurant (West Hollywood) – Los Angeles

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Philippe Chow (photo credit: Philippe Chow)

Philippe Chow West Hollywood
8284 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood
(323) 951-1100
www.philippechow.com
Opening Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 12-4, featuring a $20.09 3 course Lunch
Monday – Sat Dinner from 6-Midnight
Sunday – 3pm to Midnight, Dinner only
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive – Very Expensive

No need to waste a lot of time explaining, we will then just “cut to the chase” as they say in Hollywood. The story goes somewhat like this, depending on who is telling it or who you are hearing it from; that a minor chef or food prep guy changed his name from Chak Yam Chau to Philippe Chow after working at Mr. Chow restaurant in New York for many years.  Subsequently, he left Mr. Chow and along with partner and CEO Stratis Morfogen has opened Philippe New York, Philippe Mexico, Philippe Miami, Philippe East Hampton and now Philippe West Hollywood in the former Dolce space on Melrose Avenue that incidentally was Le Chardonnay French Restaurant for many years. To be fair: on Philippe’s website (link follows): http://www.philippechow.com they tell the story a bit differently.            Although, according to Billboard Magazine, Morfogen was accused of having less than stellar business practices when he was a Managing Partner at Au Bar in New York that involved delayed payments to performers as well as abrupt cancellations of entertainer’s engagements.
The restaurant chain comes to Los Angeles still embroiled in a lot of cat-fighting, lawsuits and otherwise nasty vibes between Mr. Chow and Philippe Chow!  The publicity created by this type of so-called “bad” PR has also been a windfall for Philippe as it has created a firestorm that keeps feeding itself with its own gossip.

The war between Michael Chow (Mr. Chow) and Philippe Chow (Philippe) is starting to heat up and this could be worse than last year’s Wolfgang vs Wolfgang Puck battle.