Philippe Chow closes in Jericho

Philippe Chow has served its last green prawn in Jericho. The two-star Nassau outpost of the upscale Chinese mini-chain closed on Sunday. Managing partner (and Garden City native) Stratis Morfogen said that the reason was parking.

Since Philippe Chow opened in November, 2010, it had used about 30 parking spaces on the property of the neighboring Mobil gas station which were, Morfogen said, “a necessary part of the puzzle.” That station closed a few months ago and the restaurant was unable to reach an agreement either to buy the property or to continue leasing the spaces.

Morfogen said that the restaurant’s “numbers” were better this year than last and that while weeknights “could be hit or miss,” weekends were very busy. “And on a busy night,” he said, “the parking just couldn’t hold up.”

During the summers of 2009 and 2010, Philippe Chow established a seasonal restaurant in East Hampton. Morfogen said that he was considering opening a Southampton location for this summer. He’s also scouting possible locations along Northern Boulevard for a Nassau replacement.

The original Philippe Chow, which opened in 2005, is on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. There are also restaurants in Miami, Boca Raton, Los Angeles, and Mexico City.

Stratis Morfogen, left, with Philippe Chow in Jericho