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Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Vietnamese [Edit]
24351 Avenida de la Carlota
28 reviews
Laguna Hills, CA
"What a cute place! After Yelping for a lunch place to take a half blind 88 year old great grandmother, I settled on Lulu's. It worked out…" read more »
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oh how i adore
creme brulee french toast
deathly delicious
that i've never had before
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Wow I can't believe this place has such high reviews. I don't see why this place is popular. I came here to see what the hype was all about and I was very disappointed.
1st off the place is extremely over priced
2nd the food taste and quality is average and nothing fancy like they try to advertise it as.
3rd I ordered a coffee which came in the smallest cup imaginable and it was $2.00!
4th the service was pretty shotty.
Do yourself and your wallet a favor go some place else for breakfast
Been wanting to come here for a while after reading fellow yelp reviews and loving to find new breakfast places. This restaurant is definitely unique. The website says they are open until 3pm, but they close at 2:30..shoot it was 2:35 when we go there on a Saturday - but the nice man at the door waved us in and took us anyway - sweet, 'cause we were hungry!
I wanted something different than what I was used to and decided to get the Vietnamese meatloaf, it came with 2 fried eggs a biscuit and slathered in gravy! Wow. The meatloaf was so unique, it had carrot strands and noodles in it - this dish was so different!
Husband had the eggs Benedict, I love when poached eggs are cooked on the well side, the yolk wasn't very runny. The ham looked good and it was served with a pesto sauce instead of the usual hollandaise. The bread with the Benedict made it seem a bit small though...and the potatoes that it came with seemed very oily and a little overdone.
We are definitely coming back again, there are so many unique dishes to try, can't wait!
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The food is absolutely the phenomenal. This is the only place in town where you can eat for $10 and food is just as good as the Ritz Carlton. The rumor is that Chef D is not a friendly guy...untrue. He is always nice and provides good suggestions upon request. The quality of the food is always the same regardless whether Chef D is cooking or not. This is a 10/10 in my opinion and I am a very picky person. If you like traditional breakfast try the french toast, if you want lunch try one of their sandwiches. I absolutely love the sausage rice and eggs dish and can eat it for either breakfast or lunch. This is my 10th time going, however, I am just getting around to writing a review.
Seriously overrated - and if you have the audacity to say so expect flames from the Break Of Dawn mafia.
Serious - Plum, HauteCake or even PacificWhey are better.
06/27/2008
Apugust 18 - I have an update.
Here is what a strong Break of Dawn support emailed me based on my…
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1 star off the bat for their name Break of Dawn!
Props to Chef/Owner Dee Nguyen...he takes your everyday breakfast and lunch dishes and put some flare into them...very nice food presentation!
Nice comforting atmosphere..good service and the food at BofD is pretty much what I expected.If I go into any restaurants with a certain mindset of knowing the style of food they serve..I'm usually never disappointed.Beautiful food presentation and "authenticity" does not mix well together with the word Asian.It has to be one or the other...seldomly ever both!
I wouldn't make a special trip out to eat at BofD..but I would definitely stop by if I was in the Laguna Hills area which is not often.
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I should have reviewed this place a long time ago. I am close friends with the owner so I guess i am a little biased. But this is the standard for me for all breakfast places. Ive eaten just about everything on the menu and loved every one of them. Standouts for me though are as follows, the HOt dog item, great concept and super delicioso, the salmon is my wifes favorite and the bbq pork because i love bbq so much. My daughter Hazel's favorite are the pancakes with nutella and bananas. YOu will not regret eating here. GO try it today!!!
We had a really nice breakfast here on Sunday. It was Father's Day, but we got a table outside right away. Since the weather was so lovely, I'm glad that we did (the inside of the restaurant is quite warm as others have mentioned). I didn't mind the framed chef's coats on the walls - if I had ever been a chef at the Ritz Carlton I would wear it like a badge of honor too.
I had the creme brulee french toast and discovered that it's basically like a deconstructed bread pudding. The chocolate coconut custard was lighter than a typical creme brulee - I think it may have even been made with coconut milk. The french toast was a bit dry but it was ok when I scooped up the creme with each bite. I loved the sugary caramelized crust with the creamy custard and cinnamon golden raisin toast. The only part that made me sad was that I couldn't put maple syrup on it because then it would have been too sweet.
My husband had the chiliquiles - delicious! The egg was so fluffy and piping hot. The sauces were perfect and the cardamom corn cake was a great combination of flavors with a hint of spiciness. The only reason I give Break of Dawn 4 stars is I do feel it is a bit overpriced. $12.50 for french toast means I won't be back soon. The service was kind of amiss - but I think there was only one server on the patio and he got overwhelmed after we got there. He was very polite and offered some good suggestions though.
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Gourmet art that's almost too beautiful to eat.
Great place to bring a friend, relative or date to impress them.
Very humble ambiance but the food is top notch.
Highly recommend a visit!!!
First off, let me apologize for the LONG review. (I hate reading long reviews, don't you?) I'll use my being a Yelp newbie as my excuse...
I've been looking for a good breakfast place close to home. Something different. Based on the good Yelp reviews thought I'd give this place a try.
This was a lazy Saturday morning so a perfect time to give it a try. Beautiful day, so we sat outside. The fountain is a nice touch. The menu is small, but everything sounded really good. I had intended on eating a breakfast type item, but was suddenly in the mood for Vietnamese, so the hubby and I ordered the sesame chicken sub and a large bowl of pho to share.
The pho was pretty tasty and had both sliced meatloaf and thin slices of tender beef. There was some cilantro and basil floating around on top, but they don't offer the big side plate of herbs like I'm used to. Still, this place is owned by a Ritz Carlton chef so I understand him wanting to do it his way. (BTW, the pho isn't even called pho on the menu. Something about "traditional Vietnamese soup"...)
The sub was a little different than I'm used to, too. The bread wasn't as crusty and there was only the chicken and some kind of creamy spread on it. It was served with a slaw and small bowl of sweet creamy dippy sauce (maybe the same stuff as what was inside?) Don't know if it was the chef's intention, but I immediately put all the slaw into the sandwich and dipped. The Viet subs I'm used to eating are always spicy with a lot of cilantro and marinated/pickled veggie mix and make a huge crumb-y mess when you eat them. That was definitely missing. It was tasty, but not what I was looking for. Actually, the chicken wasn't super flavorful, but there was lots of it. Good thing there was also a small bottle of chili sauce on the table...
Overall, the ambiance really made the experience for me. The wait staff (all guys) were always available and my water and coffee were never empty. Also, kudos for doing something DIFFERENT in south OC, where I'm telling you, god forbid if you're not another boring chain place... An extra half star for that!
We will definitely go back. They actually have portuguese sausage on the menu. And duck. And chilaquiles. Okay, maybe I'm going back to try everything on the menu, it all sounds interesting. And, have I mentioned different?
Noticed that they have a full bar, too. That's amazing for a place that's only open for breakfast and lunch. They are sorta on the pricey side. Although, we did order stuff that you'd usually order at a more traditional V place, which is usually inexpensive. (I think you can get a Lee's sub for $4.)
One more thing I have to mention... There was a lady there who brought her two large dogs. I'm a huge doggie person and love the fact that no one got all outraged about her being there. The place gets another extra half star for that.
Seriously, what's all the hype about? I just don't get it. I've had the creme brulee french toast, waffle something or other, and potatoes. I had the french toast twice and both times, it was really dry and crusty. Yuck. The owner seems to rely on his Ritz Carlton chef outfit display for credibility. Anyway not impresed and probably wont be back.
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This place is great. Great vibe, good food and excellent service. Its good food with a fancy twist for a decent price. Their motto: creative comfort food, is an excellent way to describe them. I've gone for the past three weeks straight. And I'm going again this week. See you there.
Despite having to trek all the way down to OC, BofD was pretty good! I had to try some of the Viet fusion breakie comfort food so I picked up the meatloaf and it was a nice and light change from what I'm used to. Instead of a dense meatloaf, theirs had glass noodles, topped by bokchoy and some sort of light gravy. It was great! My friend had the eggs benedit with a beautiful pesto green sauce instead of hollandaise. In addition, the eggs were nicely boiled so the yolk stayed nicely creamy. The indoors were a bit too warm with the kitchen so be sure to grab a seat outside to enjoy the Cali weather.
After all the great reviews, I decided to give this place a try. I ordered the beef with the red wine poached eggs. It was a bit pricy for breakfast, however, it was DELICIOUS. The dish seemed more like something I would eat during dinner
The beef was cooked perfectly, very moist and literally just falls off the bone. I really enjoyed the poached eggs and how the yolk mixed in with the sauce.
Next time I would like to try the squash soup.
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I wanted to try this restaurant after reading a article published in the Orange County Register. I have now given it several trys, and frankly, I was disappointed both times. It's not that the food is bad -- it is just mediocre, and I was hoping for something better. The service was poor as well, which surprised me since they were not busy the times we were there.
This place has a fabulous, unique menu. I love the eggs benedict. My only complaint is that they're not open for dinner.
Such a cool place exits in Orange County. I just moved down here from San Franciso and got so sick of the OC food until I found this place. It's the ultimate mom and pop restaurant at its best. The chef/owner does everything from cooking, hosting and serving our table. This restaurant would be packed at another location, not in Laguna Hills. I hope they will survive the leisure world crowd. I will definitely support them whenever I can. You can taste the depth and complexity of flavors from every single dish. Try it out! My favorite is the Beef Shortrib with Merlot Poached Egg. The Pulled Pork with Tempura Eggs has its loyal follows too.
I'm a bit on the fence about this place. I like the decor and the airy atmosphere... but really I'm all about the food when it comes to opinions on a restaurant.
I went with a few friends and got a taste of the Beef and Eggs, and the Biscuit and Gravy dishes. I personally ordered the Smoked Salmon and Egg dish.
I had the Smoked Salmon and Egg (Oatmeal galette, herb poached egg, marinated tomato, preserved lemon-caper emulsion 9.5)...
It was so-so. The smoked salmon was topped with a bit of preserved onion relish and they complimented each other.
The oatmeal galette was a little plain and didn't really add much to the dish. Though it is an interesting concept and was not too bad. It is fried so crispy on the edges, but softer in the middle.
As for the poached eggs, the herb poaching was very subtle so up agains preserved onion relish and smoked salmon, you don't notice the herbs. It was drizzled with some herb oil/pesto sauce and that was good on it's own, but again didn't really stand out. I do also have to note, my poached eggs (two on a plate) were over done. It's suppose to be a little runny in the middle. Mine was completely solid. It was a good hard boil though, if you prefer it that way. But I did notice that the other poached eggs on my friend's dishes were not nearly as over done as mine, so I'll just say it was a small mistake.
Again the sauces and dizzles on the dish were good on it's own, but didn't stand up to the strong smoked salmon and relish. I'd say pass on this dish if it's your first time there and try something else.
As for my friend's dishes, both the beef and the vietnamese meat loaf were good, well flavored and well executed from what I saw and the bit I tasted. The beef and egg dish was very good, raved about by my friend and worth a try. But I do note it was a bit pricey.
I will rave about their rice though. The beef and egg dish comes with a small bowl of rice. It was goooood. Seasoned and cooked with carrot shavings and I think clarified butter. It's not your ordinary white rice. I'm sure it would be great with the onion and mushroom ragout of the beef dish.
Plating was pretty, service was great. Prices a little high, but portions to match. Worth a try if you're looking for something new.
I came here for a late brunch with my friend one weekend as we both love brunch and I have a love affair with eggs benedict. My friend had the waffles. They were both good.
I can't really find fault with anything in the meal as it was good, but it wasn't great. I was not blown away. Maybe I was expecting too much. I mean the reviews are great and their website is chock full of food porn. But, for the price, it was not really worth it to me. I think my mom makes better eggs benedict and hash browns. I would recommend Plums Cafe instead.
New favorite lunch place. The food is creative and affordable.
Living and working in Aliso Viejo, it's so hard to find quality food that's worth the money. You can go to Laguna, but it's more hype than heart.
Why go to a chain and spend the same amount of money for prefabricated food? I seldom go out to lunch, but when I do this is my first choice.
Been here a few times now. Such an unassuming location for such a classy venue - High ceiling, exposed beams/wood work, nice artwork on the wall...they all work in such harmonious way to make this place a comfortable space to enjoy your coffee and numerous savories they offer.
So far, everything I've tried has been nothing short of extraordinary. Each food item ordered always comes out piping hot (they are so fresh and hot that you can see the steam from the food). Now, I haven't been to too many restaurants that serve such fresh, right out of the kitchen dishes (unless you got to small/medium sized Chinese restaurants). This is such a treat!
I love the story behind the restaurant as well. They always have nice presentation of flowers. Today, they had beautiful plum flowers to signify Chinese New Year celebration.
It is one of those places where you really want to keep as your secret favorite place. Break of dawn is a true gem.
Enthusiastic 5 stars!
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Best breakfast experience I've ever had! The prices were normal, yet the dishes were all beautifully presented and of course delicious. I went with Eggs Benedict, poached perfectly, topped with green pesto hollandaise sauce, and thick slices of ham-like Canadian bacon.
I'm no fan of potatoes, but the side potatoes were absolutely perfect! The outside crispy and nicely flavored with light hint of onions and on the edge of burntness, while the inside was soft and delicate. I ate every piece of 'em!
There weren't tons of seating, and that kept the place cozy. The ceilings were tall, the decor unique and personal.
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Having heard of this place from some friends, and then doing a bit of homework on my own, I decided to give it a try the other morning. I don't know how I could've slept on this gem for so long! Aside from boasting the credentials of Chef Dee Nguyen, Break of Dawn entices you with an array of flavors that even non-breakfast lovers like me can love.
While I was tempted by more than a few of the breakfast dishes, the potato skillet and corned beef hash really caught my eye. Hash is usually my tester dish for a breakfast place - not because it necessarily says so much, but because it's one of the few breakfast dishes I really enjoy. Chef Nguyen's take on this classic - which finds thin slices of corned beef paired with a sweet potato hash, tarragon braised cabbage and poached eggs - was a refreshing and tasty departure from your typical breakfast joint.
The potato skillet was to die for! First off, I'm a potato lover through and through. Secondly, a little (or a ton) of cheese never hurt anyone. So, this mixture of potatoes, bacon, grilled onions, cheddar, fresh guacamole and chipotle sour cream was my bona fide breakfast wish list. Along with a tasty (and refillable) glass of tropical iced tea, I was a happy girl this morning. :)
It's also worth mentioning that the service was great! I'll have to remember to thank my friends for turning me onto this great spot.
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All I can say is amazing! They have an interesting array of dishes that can satisfy anyone's hunger. I personally got the eggs benedict, and she got the Portuguese sausage and rice. The eggs benedict was both delicious and beautifully presented. The eggs were poached perfect, the potatoes were cooked just right, and the green pesto hollandaise sauce was to die for.
The decor is beautiful, high vaulted ceilings, and a nice layout that is not cramped. One thing that particularly caught my attention was the owner being our waiter, cleaning the tables, pretty much everything. This restaurant has a devoted owner, and his hard work shows.
We came here because we found it on Yelp and wanted to try it out. One thing is for sure, we will definitely be frequenting Break of Dawn to satisfy our morning hunger.
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four star hotel-style breakfast without the price. i'm not sure that i'm as enthusiastic about this place as some other reviewers are. break of dawn certainly has nice food for an extremely reasonable price. i had the eggs benedict. it was very tasty, but one of my yolks was a little over-cooked, and eggs benedict is nothing without runny yolks.
the service was a little...casual, but we got everything we needed, and glasses were kept filled.
if you want an inexpensive breakfast out, this is certainly a great change from the IHOP/original pancake hosue fare.
Pretty good! Came in with a girlfriend for brunch. It is a gem in a strip mall along the freeway. We had french toast and a potato skillet, both very tasty. I also found it quite awesome to see people eating pho while I happily ate my very american potato skillet. Very cool fusion of foods and a nice place to chat with friends as well.
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I have mixed feelings about this place. For while I really admire what chef Dee Nguyen is trying to do, mixing Vietnamese flavors with American classics, I just don't think some of his dishes work very well. My sense is that he is trying too hard to be innovative, too hard to fuse East with West, the result being that some of the flavors seem forced and little bit awkward.
The first time I dined there, I had the Chilaquiles Rancheros, which suffers a bit from false advertising. This dish consists of cumin poached eggs, bacon baked beans, corn tortilla, guacamole, and chipotle pepper sauce. Aside from the fact that they left off the guacamole, this dish was pretty good. I did think, however, that there was way too much sauce, but the corn tortilla was actually a sweet corn cake, not a tortilla. My dining companion had the Eggs Benedict, which was pretty standard -- no big woop.
On my second visit, I had the Barbeque Pork, which consists of jalapeno grilled corn bake, two eggs tempura, napa slaw, and essence of five spice. I found the eggs tempura a little unusual and I don't think they went very well with the pork, which was more a shredded pork stew than anything else. The corn bake had no jalapeno flavor whatsoever. In fact, it tasted very much like the sweet corn cake I had the previous time I was here. My date had the Corned Beef, which I liked very much, even though the poached eggs were overcooked.
This place is clearly a low-budget family-run establishment, so I am quite forgiving about the decor. But I have to say that I am a bit turned off by all the framed chef jackets on the walls (there's also one in the front window). OK, I get it, you cooked at the Ritz-Carlton. What do you want, a cookie? Chef Nguyen clearly seems proud of his credentials, and it seem he wants us to be impressed too. Personally, I think it's kind of tacky.
But the diners here clearly seem to like this place, as it seems there are quite of few regulars. As for me, I hope this place does well, but it's not exactly the yelp discovery I was hoping for.
3 stars.
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This lovely little Vietnamese place puts of bit of a spin on regular breakfast items and I found it pretty interesting. The space is airy and clean and service is prompt. I like how they serve water in those jars... a nice touch.
I ordered an omelet with spinach, artichoke, and feta cheese. This came with roasted potatoes and I also ordered a side of bacon. My omelet was a bit overdone... plus... it was an extremely unappetizing shade of grayish green. When it first arrived, I really didn't know what it was. I mean... omelets are usually yellow... Taste wise, it was decent but I think I'll try a different dish next time or maybe instruct them I want my eggs a little more runny. The roasted potatoes were spiked with cumin which I found interesting but not necessarily pleasing. They were however, cooked to the best consistency. The side of bacon was delicious. But then again bacon is always delicious. I bet you it's even delicious raw.
I'd definitely come here again as the menu has a lot of interesting items and the atmosphere is pleasant. On sunny days, outdoor seating would be a good bet.
3.5 stars.
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Ate breakfast here yesterday. The portions are big and the food is good. I like the place as a whole. The place is nicely decorated. I love the color scheme and spring/summer hues. The walls are yellow and orange with big green plants all over the restaurant. My ultimate favorites are the framed pictures with writing. Although the font is hard to read, I like how it looks. Very beautiful.
All the waiters were very attentive and frequently asked if we needed anything and if they food was to our satisfaction.
I had a sausage, mushrooms (the had entire pieces of mushroom), tomatoes and mozzarella cheese omelet. My friend and I shared the blueberry pancakes (although I ate most of it). The food was very filling and made well.
A photographer from a magazine was actually there too taking pictures of dishes. I don't know which particular magazine, but watch out for it soon!
I loved this place, and it is about two miles from my house, so I'm sure I'll be back many times.
The place seems to be set up for the hungover. There is a menu of breakfasty cocktails, and the food is separated by the type flavor, sweet, savory, etc, so you don't need to read the menu too carefully.
I had the creme brulee french toast, which I really enjoyed and I ate off of everyones plate. I can't stand a breakfast that is too small, and I was stuffed, so I was happy.
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Already have plans to celebrate my birthday here.
I like the story behind Break of Dawn, and I admire Chef Nguyen's vision of opening such a place and working here to spend more time with his family.
Had the butternut squash soup with the crispy crab rolls, and was pleased with my meal. The sausage and rice looked incredible, and I must order it next time. Have tried the meatloaf in the past, and LOVED it. Oh, also shared a side of the infamous tempura eggs. Sooooo good and runny.
This is an unassuming, unpretentious, affordable place to take anyone who can appreciate the cuisine.
(fyi - the juices there were watered down. We blame the poorly calibrated dispenser which was "broken" when replacement beverages were requested.)
Update 1/27/08 - Went for my birthday brunch and my friends had a blast. Everyone tried something different. Besides the soup and eggs, I went for a side of meatloaf. Next time, I'll be craving the oatmeal, waffles, and banana pancakes.
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YUM!
If you are in the area, you must come. Lots of variety, lots of unheard of things (at least to me) breakfast combo, good food. Good for large/small groups. Plenty of parking.
I got the sausage and rice combo and a side of short stacks. I was very full.
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Break of Dawn has garnered much attention among the foodie world. You have a highly acclaimed chef in Dee Nguyen, who was the Executive Sous Chef at the Ritz Carlton, who opened this restaurant in order to spend more time with his family.
The space is rather quaint, but is set up to appear very open and minimally decorated with splashes of Asian touches throughout the restaurant. Above the kitchen, Chef Nguyen proudly displays his kitchen whites from his Ritz Carlton days. Articles about the restaurant also find their way around the walls. Break of Dawn is very informal, with picnic type benches inside while a couple tables are set outside for those who prefer to dine al fresco.
The Creme Brulee French Toast sounds like a winner on paper. What's not to like when you combine French Toast and Creme Brulee. Four large slices of raisin brioche are dipped in an egg wash and then set in barely set creme brulee. Sugar is then sprinkled onto the very coconutty creme brulee then torched to give it that familiar crackle. The French Toast is then liberally dusted with powdered sugar, like Al Pacino in that infamous scene in Scarface. There were a couple of problems with this dish unfortunately. The French Toast was pre-cooked and was stone cold. The second problem was that the flavor of coconut totally overwhelmed the taste of the dish. It was hard to taste anything but coconut.
The Corned Beef dish was a slight take on the old standard Corned Beef and Cabbage. Thin slices of briny corned beef sit atop a sweet potato hash that is also mixed with potatoes. All this sits in a glistening pool of mustard sauce. To fit in with the breakfast theme of Break of Dawn, two poached eggs are served with the dish. When cut into, their bright yellow liquid gold comes rushing out like an oil gusher. An astringent topping of braised cabbage finishes the dish. All of the elements worked well together, however, I thought the acidity of the cabbage was a distraction from the rest of the dish.
Perhaps we caught Break of Dawn on a bad day, or they weren't ready for a party of 17 people. With Chef Nguyen's credentials, a second chance is definitely in the cards.
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UPDATED 12-03-2007: Came here for breakfast again over the weekend and tried something different. The shrimp rolls (which were just egg rolls with shrimp) were quite tasty as well as the meatloaf banh mi. Love the twist on Vietnamese fare. The banh mi was served with some sort of aioli on the side and crusty Vietnamese style French baguette.
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We were up exceptionally early this morning so by 9am we were longing for some breakfast. Hubby found this place through yelp so we thought we'd give it a try. I was quite pleasantly surprised by the nice interior and lovely environment this restaurant had. I'd never been to this area before.... it's located in the same strip mall as Marshall's and Lone Star Steakhouse off the I-5 by the Laguna Hills Mall.
The menu was really interesting. Amidst the regular brunch items were Vietnamese offerings such as banh mi and pho. We just stuck with breakfast items this morning. Their coffee is really good (and that's coming from someone who doesn't drink coffee) and their iced tea is organic with a hint of fruit. Coffee is $2 while iced tea is $2.50 -- bottomless.
Lil guy got the buttermilk pancakes ($6.50). You can choose between blueberries, cinnamon apple, banana, pineapple coconut, pecan, walnut, almond or chocolate chips for an additional 2 bucks. A good helping of 5 pancakes arrived dusted with powdered sugar. Maple syrup was the real stuff. Very good.
My Two Eggs Any Style breakfast ($7) was originally for lil guy, but I decided to just share it with him. I ordered the eggs over hard for him with bacon, but hubby ended up eating the eggs as I swapped them for his perfectly poached eggs which came with the Corned Beef hash ($9.50). Very seldom do I find perfectly poached eggs so this place thoroughly impressed me with those. My breakfast also included these rustic potatoes. I'm not a potato fan unless they're fries, but these were done well with onions and a hint of rosemary. My only complaint with these is that they're not freshly prepared and it was obvious that they had been reheated.
The bacon was very crunchy. They were perfect for me and lil guy but some people might find it overdone -- uh, hubby for instance who liken it to jerky. Hubby's hash was a mix of potatoes and sweet potatoes, I felt it was a little sweet for breakfast -- I, being not a huge fan of the sweet. The braised cabbage atop the whole concoction had a lovely flavor with a hint of tarragon. The corned beef was also pretty good.
Lil guy's pancakes were fluffy and lovely. I chose rye toast. It arrived with a dollop of butter and 2 packets of the Smuckers strawberry jam. I was immediately turned off by this because everything was on the 'gourmet' side, but here's Smuckers packet jams which you find at IHOP and Denny's. But having said that, the butter provided is of European quality so it enhanced the flavor of the less than ideal jam. What would've made it perfect was maybe preserves instead of the Smuckers.
Service was above average. My iced tea was refilled without my asking and empty plates were promptly removed. There were also 5 types of 'sugar' on the table: raw sugar, white sugar and the sugar substitutes in all 3 colors: pink, blue and yellow. After finding out that the boss is a CCA grad and was previously with the Ritz-Carlton, I was glad to see that he incorporated the little attention to details found in 5 star establishments to his own restaurant.
A solid 4-star rating!
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Highly recommended by peers at yelp, my wife and I decided to try this place for brunch on Sat morning. For those people who are not familiar of the plaza layout, the restaurant can be hard to find. The location of this restaurant is between trade Joe and mandarin terrace, and is right next to yarn lady.
Once set down, my wife ordered Thai coffee while I ordered iced tea. While waiting for our drinks, my wife explained to me that the chef for this restaurant used to be a chef at Ritz. She explained that the chef wanted to spend more time with his family, so he opened this restaurant in 2006. This restaurant only open till 3:00pm everyday.
When the waiter brought the coffee and iced tea. I immediately fall in love with the tea. The tropical iced tea has a very different taste than the usual commercial iced tea. No sugar was needed and usually I am the type of person that puts lots of honey or sugar to the tea to cover the bitter taste of the tea. The coffee was also very rich and very tasty.
The menu for the entree is different than what you normally would see. The selection are Beef, Chicken, Duck, ... etc and of course the typical breakfast items such as pancake, waffle, eggs and bacon ... etc. I ordered Beef while my wife ordered the Duck.
When the waiter brought out the dishes, the plating of the dishes were phenomenal. You felt that you are eating at a 5 star restaurant while paying the 3 star restaurant price. Overall, the duck was pretty tasty. I especially enjoyed the duck meat in combination with the rich creamy sauce of cauliflower puree and slight sour taste of the goji berry.
The Beef was great too. The meat were very tender and moist. The two (Merlot seasoned)poached eggs were tasty. The strong smell of red wine in the poached eggs were a a great complement of the beef. The taro bits and mushroom and rice cake within the dish brought a very different experience to the taste but.
After the meal, we had chocolate cream brulee. Unlike typical American desert, the cream brulee was not too sweet and even after you finished the dish, you can still taste the richness of chocolate in your mouth.
I highly recommend going to restaurant for a meal. The outside patio seating is very relaxing. If you ever are around Laguna Hill mall around lunch time, you should definitely try this restaurant.
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My pancakes were yummy! I loved the bacon and mommy's potatoes were sooooooooooo good. I don't even like potatoes --- unless it's french fries.
I said 5 stars! And I said it more than one time.
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I tried this place today after reading the Yelp reviews and Dee Nguyen's article in OC Register. I really enjoyed the food here. I had the 2 eggs and the squash soup, which was yummy. Definitely come back to support Chef Dee's restaurant.
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Small, tasty menu...
I have tried the following:
1) Sausage & Eggs : Pretty good - eggs cooked beautifully. Nothing exotic or special about this dish, but was yummy.
2) Tongue & Cheek: Interesting. Cow tongue and cheek cooked beautifully in a delicious gravy. Texture was soft, meat moist. Very different and extremely delicious!
3) Beef: Beautifully cooked- tender meat. Was a bit salty for me, but still enjoyed this dish.
4) Chiaquiles: This was just alright. I expected a little more.... it was nothing special.
5) Cinnamon Buns: YUM!!!!!! Was a bit burnt on the bottom, but still very good. Kinda pr icy though since it was literally just one big bun.
Service was very attentive. Price pretty good.
