Phantom Gourmet: Chinese Food At Bernard's In Chestnut Hill

CHESTNUT HILL - You wouldn't know by the name, the atmosphere, or even some of the food, but a place called Bernard's is one of the top Chinese restaurants in New England.

Bernard's fits right into the trendy retail and restaurant plaza known as The Street in Chestnut Hill. Inside, the design is more modern than traditional, with a spacious feel and funky chandeliers. You don't see a lot of Chinese restaurants that look like this, and you certainly don't find many Chinese dishes prepared so delicately.

Bernard Leung is the owner and inspiration behind the restaurant's rather inconspicuous name. The original Bernard's was located just down the road at the Chestnut Hill Mall, and that's where the legend started.

"Twenty-five years ago, when I first started in Chestnut Hill shopping mall, and the owner said, 'Bernard, I don't need any Chinese name in my mall. I don't want August Moon. I don't want any garden, New Garden or something that like. I want something different.' I said, 'Why don't you just pick my first name Bernard.' I think it's a very easy to remember Chinese name, so that's how I started."

Compared to their old spot, the kitchen is now triple the size. Plus, there's a nice bar where the Mai Tais and Zombies are crafted with care. When you come here to dine, the bill might end up being a bit higher than you'd expect, and the wait might be a little longer that your standard Chinese take-out, but at the end of the day, taste trumps everything.

"With this restaurant, why it's so successful, everything is cooked to order. That's why you have to wait," explained longtime manager Allan Lam.

Of course, everybody loves Chinese appetizers, and according to Allan, the barbecue spare ribs sell like hot cakes.

"If you ask people around this area if Bernard has the best barbecue spare ribs –yes! We use the baby back ribs, and it's called thick cut. So we make like maybe ten racks of spare ribs. On the weekend I make like 15 to 20."

For something a little different, there's crispy salt and pepper calamari. Believe it or not, you can even order marinated grilled Australian lamb chops by the piece. The absolute must-try is Bernard's legendary Scallion Pancakes.

"Our scallion pancake is very crispy. We make that dough, we pan sear them. It puffs. It tastes like Chinese pizza to me," Allan laughed.

He's not joking. Allan really has been known to put his own spin the scallion pancakes, adding some melted cheddar cheese to create a whole new kind of fusion cuisine.

"This is a Chinese scallion quesadilla. It's filled with melted cheeses. So good. If you ask me, I will make you one."

Moving on to the more high ticket items, there's a beautiful and refreshing Shrimp and Avocado stir fry with plum tomatoes and sake wine. Steak lovers will want to slice into the Angus sirloin with garlic and mushrooms over Chinese jade broccoli. And noodle aficionados can dive into a big bowl of Beef Chow Fun, or the ultra-popular Pan Seared Angel Hair with white meat chicken.

"We sell a lot, a lot of this," said Bernard. "We make the noodles crispy on the outside and a little soft and tender inside there. And also we have seasoning. The sauce is very light, and people just love that."

Customers also go crazy for another unique chicken dish. The Sizzling Chicken with black bean sauce is flavor-packed with scallions and ginger, served in a smoking hot pot.

To round out any good Chinese meal, fried rice is usually a good choice, but at Bernard's, it's an absolute necessity. Their recipe is vibrant, super-fresh, colorful, and fluffy. Basically, this is what fried rice is supposed to be.

"Number one, you have to cook the rice in the right way. Not too soft, not too hard. And number two, you have to have the oil so light," described Bernard. "And make it nice and fresh. That's it."

After spending decades in the business, and opening multiple restaurants, Bernard hasn't slowed down one bit. As long as customers keep coming through the door, he'll keep smiling, and exceeding their expectations.

"Yes, I just love it. And I can keep up. I have to keep on going."

You can find Bernard's at The Street - 55 Boylston Street in Chestnut Hill.

Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.