Richard Chen, the pan-Asian fine dining restaurant which many considered the crown jewel of East Liberty's flourishing restaurant scene, closed its doors at the end of service last night.

Cathy Chen, co-owner and wife of executive chef Richard Chen, cited economic concerns as the primary reason for closing.

The restaurant, which was located in the Eastside development in East Liberty, celebrated its grand opening Aug. 12.

Originally, Mr. Chen had planned to spend a substantial amount of time at the Pittsburgh restaurant, while still maintaining a presence at Wing Lei, his Michelin-starred restaurant in the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel.

Hotels and restaurants in Las Vegas have felt substantial effects of the economic crisis, especially as a result of many canceled and downgraded conventions.

"Richard really has devoted all his time in Vegas, because they're having trouble there, too. It's so difficult for him to go back and forth," explained Mrs. Chen.

But a smaller than expected clientele also played a role in their decision to close.

"It's difficult to survive in Pittsburgh," said Mrs. Chen, a longtime Pittsburgh resident who also owns Ya Fei, a Chinese restaurant in Robinson.

She acknowledged the customers felt the restaurant was expensive, and that a fine dining establishment was a difficult sell in the current economic climate.

In the months since the restaurant opened, adjustments were made to the menu to lower the price point, including removing some of the most expensive choices from the menu and introducing prix fixe options. But these changes did not attract the necessary diners.

The Chens plan to remodel the restaurant space and re-open under a different name. The new restaurant will have a lower price point and they hope it will be a better fit for the current economic conditions and for Pittsburgh.

At its 2008 awards, the American Institute of Architects' Pittsburgh chapter gave a certificate of merit to EDGE Studio for its design of the restaurant space. Jurors praised "the quality of materials in the finishes" and "the simplicity of the floor plan."

As of this morning, not all employees were aware of the restaurant's closing. Steve Mosites, of the Mosites Co. which owns the Eastside development, wasn't certain whether the owners had finalized their decision.

Rob Reese, owner of the nearby Red Room Cafe, believes the restaurant was a "casualty of the economy."

"He came in right before the bottom fell out," said Mr. Reese. "Having the start-up costs and being new, they may not have had the luxury of other restaurants in the area that had their roots really well planted before this happened."