Red Dragon Chinese Restaurant and Lounge is hiding in plain sight.

It’s right there for all to see on South Business Highway 97 (near Wal-Mart) but it’s not hard to blow past it on the way to points south.

Built in 2000 by owner Casey Chan, Red Dragon offers Szechuan, Hunan, Mongolian and Cantonese cuisine in a comfortable, squeaky clean setting.

Chan hails from Hong Kong where he spent many years learning the ropes of the restaurant business in top drawer eateries and began nurturing a dream. When he moved to the United States in 1980, he acted on it.

”I’m the first generation in the United States,” he said. ”My English wasn’t good enough to work for American people.”

So he went to work in Chinese restaurants and on his dream. Almost two decades later, he built Red Dragon from scratch, spending $1.8 million to get things just right.

He borrowed design ideas – such as the open cooking area, private booths and a pick-up window – from different restaurants.

A tour of the kitchen reveals that it’s not all just innovative imitation.

Chan is thoroughly grounded in the basics.

”When you have a clean kitchen and good equipment you can make good food for the customer,” he said. ” … The main thing is you’re serving quality food and cooking it fresh … Right on the cook, right on the sugar, right on the salt and fresh ingredients.”

Chan is adamant about going light on the sugar.

”Some Chinese restaurants understand that sweet food can bring more customers,” said Chan. ”And my friends’ advice to me is add more sugar in the dish and you get more customers. I say, no, never. That’s not the right way to cook Chinese food … I want my customers to enjoy healthy meals.”

In addition to a spacious dining room, Red Dragon offers a full bar, the Phoenix Lounge.

”It’s a lounge with a family atmosphere,” said Phoenix Lounge manager Jackie Verlanic, who runs a tight but friendly ship.

”This is my house,” said Verlanic of the lounge, whose patrons she said she treats as family. ”This is my home.”

Red Dragon specialties include sauteed shrimp with Peking sauce over steamed broccoli ($10.95), walnut chicken ($8.95), pineapple sliced pork in sweet tangy sauce ($8.50) and Szechuan squid ($10.50).

The menu features a full complement of seafood, chicken, beef, pork, vegetable, noodle and sizzling platter items.

In addition to the generous Chinese menu, Red Dragon features live Maine lobster, steaks and low carbohydrate specialties.

”My dream has come true,” said Chan. ”I’m proud of myself. My family appreciates local people’s support. My family appreciates that the USA gave me a chance.”

Jim Witty can be reached at 541-617-7828 or jwitty@bendbulletin.com.