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On a quiet stretch of Wilshire Boulevard, just around the corner from Los Angeles’ famed Restaurant Row, sits Philippe Chow — an upscale Chinese eatery that caters to the rich and famous or anyone aspiring to such things. Naturally, I was rather intrigued when I was invited to a media-comped chef’s tasting, and so I called up my friend Kambra and after trekking through some of the worst LA traffic I’ve endured all year, we made it to the restaurant (albeit, 45 minutes late).

After the jump, pics of our meal.

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The swanky bar offers ample seating for folks ready to get their booze on. Televisions overhead (including a giant one on the opposing wall) allow patrons to enjoy a good ol’ fashioned sporting event amidst the libations.

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The dining room is surprisingly narrow, with only about eight or ten tables. But wait, there’s more! Down a nearby hallway are facilities that are available for private parties — specifically, a $600, $800, and $1,200 room (as in, that’s how much you pay to get the space). A secret entrance from the back alley means celebrities such as Beyoncé or Emmanuel Lewis can arrive discreetly.

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Chefs fire up the woks behind an evocative red window.

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The S&P Philippe: tequila, lime juice, and Pamplemousse Grapefruit rosé. A bit unbalanced, but lovely to look at.

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Drunken fish in the foreground is sweet while the black prawns in the background strike a more savory note.

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Beijing Chicken arrives with a bright red glaze and some tasty walnuts.

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Chicken saté is visually arresting, but unfortunately, the sauce is a miss for us. The chicken, however, is cooked nicely and texturally pleasing.

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“Mignon and broccoli” is appropriately tender.

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One of the stronger items of the night: soup dumplings. We were not given chopsticks; so these were a bit tricky to handle with forks (don’t want to puncture them), but it was a challenge we were more than up for.

PHILIPPE CHOW BEVERLY HILLS
8620 Wilshire Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
310 289-3500
http://www.philippechowbh.com/