Bernard’O Restaurant to close after 24 years

After 24 years of providing French fine dining to the area, Bernard and Diana Mougel have decided to retire. Their Bernard’O Restaurant in Rancho Bernardo will be closing on May 14.

It will reopen on May 16 with new owners — Thomas and Victorine Philipps — and a new name, Le Bistro De Louisa, named after Thomas’ late grandmother, whom he never met since she died young, but heard about from his mother all the time. Her photo will also grace the menu. Like Bernard, the Philipps are from France.

They owned three restaurants in Bordeaux, France, but sold one to purchase Bernard’O after Thomas Phillips came to California last fall looking for new business opportunities in the United States. Their remaining two restaurants in France are a pizza place and a casual French bistro, he said.

After about a week under its new owners, the Rancho Bernardo restaurant at 12457 Rancho Bernardo Road — near Albertsons — will be closed for several days while extensive renovations take place.

The community’s new dining option will be open seven days a week, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. It will have a more casual ambiance and offer a mix of French and Italian menu items. Bernard’O only served lunch and dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays and specialized in French fine dining.

“We will still keep some classic French items (of Bernard’O) on the menu,” Philipps said, adding the staff will remain and he will be the chef.

Bernard Mougel, now 64, said it is time for him to retire, especially since dining preferences have changed in recent years.

“Fine dining took a hit. ... People want more casual dining and smaller plates,” he said. “They want (meals) quick. Fine dining is kind of dying down.”

While that is the societal trend, it is not like the slower-paced restaurant won’t be missed. “My regular customers are mad at me that I’m closing,” he said.

Despite being “mad,” many have said they want to be there on the restaurant’s last night, he said. Since the restaurant will not be able to accommodate all of its fans on May 14 — reservations are still available since word of the closing has yet to spread — the restaurant will likely offer a special farewell menu throughout its last two weeks.

“We have very loyal customers,” Diana said.

Those customers — who started coming to Bernard’O when it opened in 1992 — proved their loyalty by returning after the restaurant was closed from September 1997 to May 1999 while the entire shopping center was razed and rebuilt, they said. That is when the restaurant moved from the middle of the center to its current location on one of its corners and doubled in size.

The Mougels have a long history in the Rancho Bernardo community. They met 34 years ago while working at the Rancho Bernardo Inn. Bernard worked there for 11 years, starting in 1978, as its banquet and catering manager, and later its director of food and beverages. Diana was the front desk supervisor and hotel operator.

They married in 1983 and have two daughters, who recently moved out of the family’s home. The empty-nesters said their initial retirement plans include doing some home redecorating.

“We want to relax,” Bernard said, adding that running a family-owned restaurant is “very stressful.”

Bernard also plans on doing some vegetable gardening and continue training for triathlons, such as an upcoming national championship in Oregon. Diana said she is going to take horseback riding lessons with their daughters and continue taking care of her mom.

“We definitely want to thank everyone for their support,” Bernard said. “We’ve made a lot of friends here, it is like a family place.”

He said customers have dubbed the restaurant’s bar area “the Cheers bar,” because everyone knows everyone.

“(Closing) is going to be sad,” he added.