I’ve been to Bernie’s Place a few times — all for breakfast — and have been mostly happy with my meals. On a recent Sunday, four friends joined me for a late breakfast, during which we happily discovered that Bernie serves bloody marys and mimosas on Sundays after 9 am. Having already had a full weekend of consumption, I abstained, but I did dive into my breakfast burrito scramble, filled with eggs, bacon and tomato ($4.49 with hash browns). It was yummy, but the first time I ordered it there seemed to be more filling. Big kudos for the potatoes, which are cooked enough so they’re not too hard or too mushy and have a little bit of a kick.
I’ve also had the french toast ($4.25 or $5.25), which is a taste mixture combining cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, and can be ordered with toppings of bananas, strawberries, blueberries, chocolate chips and whipped cream. I got strawberries, which unfortunately were not freshly picked. They did, however, eliminate a real need for syrup since their sauce soaked into the toast nicely. (Add an extra $1 if you want real maple syrup on your french toast or pancakes.)
Other breakfast options include Bernie’s Big Bopper ($6.49), which is a little bit of everything, several egg combo dishes, a Spanish omelette ($7.49) with tomatoes, peppers, onions, cheddar cheese and salsa and a Western omelette ($6.99). There are also create-your-own omelettes, muffins, cereals and daily specials like a feta, roasted red peppers and tomato omelette ($7.59).
For lunch, choose from a large selection of sandwiches (most are also on the dinner menu), including the West Falmouth Club ($7.99), with lettuce, tomato, maple-smoked bacon and your choice of chicken breast, cheeseburger, roasted turkey breast or ham and cheese. It’s a mouthful, and so is the Bern Dog ($5.99), which comes with sauerkraut and onions. The lobster roll ($9.99) is on both the lunch and dinner menus.
For dinner, check the specials board or go for the captain’s platter ($13.99) or fried clams ($12.99). There’s a decent list of appetizer choices, including wings, Southwestern spring rolls, mussels and fully loaded nachos. Beer is on the menu at lunch and dinner time.
Bernie’s doesn’t do gourmet, but I’ll keep going back for breakfasts, and possibly a few lunches, because the restaurant is clean and bright and the service is great. The waitstaff is super friendly and on a recent weekday morning the two servers seemed to know everyone in the place. Another big draw is the giant flat screen TV mounted perfectly for those enjoying bar seating. It’s a good excuse to head over to Bernie’s for a beer and a snack when the game’s on before tackling that not-so-fun chore of grocery shopping next door.
— Karen Beaudoin