Philippe: You're either an Upper East Sider or you're not. If you are, you like restaurants like Philippe where things may be pricier than they need to be, but there won't be any alarms or surprises. If you're not an UESider, you won't be able to tell this Mr. Chow spin-off from any place above 14th St. with a linear, sparsely-decorated space. Bankers and brokers indulge in very good Peking duck and standard Pan-Asian fare, stopping to applaud when a chef comes out to demonstrate how their rice or pasta is made; which comes off as Vegas-style silly. The fruity cocktail menu is a pleasant surprise, which explains why Bob from accounting is dancing with one of the waitresses in the middle. |
