Some Brunch Consumption at Tupelo Junction Cafe

 Tupelo Junction Cafe

508 North 29th Street

Newport Beach, CA 92663

Breakfast just tastes better at the beach. Maybe it's the ocean air or the breeze from the water, but it makes everything taste better. The vacation vibe I get when I visit Newport Beach could also contribute to this. My feelings for this seaside paradise are deep-rooted, from when I was a kid and we'd rent a beach house for a week to when I lived here in my 20s. As I have long passed my twenties, Newport is one of our favorite places to get some steps in and grab breakfast. 

After walking between the Balboa and Newport Pier, we were ready to refuel with a good breakfast. Newport has many breakfast spots: Shorebird, The Galley, Wilma's Patio, The Lighthouse, and Cappy's. These are all good places, but of course, I'm always on the hunt for a restaurant we haven't been to yet. A quick Yelp search brought us to Tupelo Junction Cafe. 

Tupelo Junction started in Santa Barbara but moved south to its present home a few blocks east of Newport Boulevard in 2017. It's off by itself, but that hasn't deterred tourists and locals from seeking it out and giving rave reviews on Yelp. They have also been mentioned as being the best all-day cafe in Newport by the OC Register, back when they had a restaurant critic. They've also won raves for their Bloody Mary, which some claim is the best in OC. 

It was just before noon on a cloudy Sunday when we arrived at Tupelo Junction. There were a great many people here enjoying their Sunday Funday, but we were seated right away on their back patio. Their menu is so packed with brunch items that there was no room for double spacing, which made it a little challenging to read, but I powered through. I counted 16 brunch items and four shared plate options. Entrees range between $19 to $32. Opposite the listed food, they also have a large selection of cocktails for those who want to imbibe. 

As is my custom when eating breakfast out, I like to pair my savory meal with something sweet. As soon as I looked at the first item on the menu, these Cinnamon Apple Beignets ($14), I knew this would be my sweet portion of the meal. There were three of them per order, and they were bigger than most beignets I have encountered. They were also more dense on the inside, and the outside was very crunchy. The apple and cinnamon could have been more prominent, and I would have liked more of the caramel, creme anglaise, and powdered sugar to be applied with a much heavier hand. These were not awful, but I've had better beignets. 

Katie was famished after our mile walk and zeroed in on this Smoked Bacon Scramble ($21) to get her refueled. This scramble comprised two eggs, caramelized onion, diced tomato, spinach, gouda, and bacon. She liked the freshness of the ingredients, but she felt the star of the show for her was the biscuit and house-made jam. She would not stop raving about how good both were, which allowed me to snag some bites of her scramble and the potatoes, which I found nicely done. After this meal, she exclaimed that she couldn't wait for a return visit to Tupelo Junction. 

I had a much harder time picking something to eat here, as I had too many options that I wanted to try. I was intrigued by the benedict, scramble, chicken with waffles, and a couple of their lunch selections. I finally went with the Crab Cake Hash ($28). The crab cake was made with Dungeness crab and did not include a lot of filler. The fresh crab was topped with a perfectly poached egg, an avocado salsa with big pieces of avocado included, and a beurre blanc sauce that was very buttery and tied everything together. This was lighter than I expected, but it still had a lot of flavor and was very satisfying. I used some of Katie's jam that she did not use with the grilled toast.   

We were pleased with our visit to Tupelo Junction Cafe, a hidden gem that quite a few people know about, and now you do as well. I liked everything we had and would only ask for more caramel sauce with the beignets to make them more enjoyable. The ambiance was nice and relaxed, and not a boozy brunch spot. Our server was friendly and polite, and the variety of the menu will keep people returning to try more things. It's worth a visit if you find yourself in Newport soaking up the sea breezes and wanting a good place for brunch. 

Out of five buffalo (because the city of Tupelo, Mississippi, is not only the birthplace of Elvis Presley but also the home of Tupelo Buffalo Park, which has over 200 animals, including a herd of buffalo that roam the park's 200 acres), five being best and zero being worst, Tupelo Junction Cafe gets 3.5 buffalos. 

Tupelo Junction Cafe does not have a functioning website, so follow this link to their Yelp page for more information about them, https://www.yelp.com/biz/tupelo-junction-cafe-newport-beach

A Bird’s Eyed View of Shorebird in Newport Beach

 Shorebird

2220 Newport Boulevard

Newport Beach, CA 92663

Before our Sundays are dominated by football, we try some breakfast/brunch spots on my restaurant wishlist. Because once that calendar flips to September, the last day of the week is dedicated to watching my usually horrible Jaguars. Then, once it's apparent that they will lose, the rest of the day is spent watching other games of interest and finally wrapping up the day with the Sunday night game. It might seem like a wasted day to some, and I feel that way sometimes, but it's how Katie and I relax and gear up for the upcoming workweek. Before the first snap of the ball happened, we headed to Shorebird to experience their Sunday brunch. 

Shorebird came across my radar when I was reading Orange Coast Magazine. Their excellent restaurant critic, Gretchen Kurz, gave them a favorable review. Most of her review was about her dinner experience, but she dedicated a paragraph to what she enjoyed during her brunch visit. A few months later, Orange Coast came out with its brunch issue, which featured more about Shorebird's early weekend menu, and that's when I decided that we needed to try them.  

Even with the Newport Boulevard address, Shorebird is hidden from view from the street. The best way to find them is to look for the iconic Crab Cooker restaurant, turn down the small street, and park in the underground parking lot for the Vue Newport, a mixed-use development. Remember your parking ticket, as Shorebird validates for up to two hours. This good-sized restaurant has excellent marina views that will have you reaching for your phone to snap way more pictures than you will ever need. 

Shorebird is part of the Wild Thyme Restaurant Group. Eight different concepts are currently operating or will soon be operating. Most of their locations are in Sedona, Arizona, or Southern California. I've had only one encounter with one of their restaurants, which could have been better. Last year, we visited Stagecoach, a barbecue spot right across the street from Main Place Mall. The food was subpar. I still have nightmares about their mac and cheese and potato skins. They closed down for good before I could even write my review. I had much higher hopes for Shorebird. 

We arrived at 11 a.m., and the Sunday Funday festivities started slowly. However, the tables around us quickly filled up with large groups, and there was only a smattering of two-person parties eating there. Predictably, the tables closer to the water were more desirable. Still, the openness of the wraparound patio and the sleek vibe of the interior of the dining room ensure that most people will enjoy any seat in the house. 

The brunch menu starts at 10 a.m. on weekends, but I'm unsure of a cutoff time. It is divided into sections: starters, soups and salads, brunch specialties, sandwiches, taco platters, and sides. Entrees hover around the mid-$20 price point, while most starters will set you back less than $20. This is good for this area, where $40 to $80 entrees are commonplace. We quickly made our selections and took in the place's view and upbeat energy while waiting for our food. 

Some good-sounding starters were available here, such as A5 wagyu meatballs, buffalo onion rings, and crispy cauliflower, but we finally decided on the Avocado Fries ($15). These might be misnamed because I expected the avocado to be sliced into thin strips. Fried avocado nuggets might be a better name for these. The avocado wedges were fried in a tempura batter until golden brown. Then, they were placed on top of a green goddess dressing. I enjoyed the contrast between the crunchy outer coating and the creamy avocado. The dressing missed the mark, as I would have preferred ranch dressing instead. A good starter, especially if you are a fan of avocado. 

Katie is predictable when eating brunch. She gets a breakfast burrito almost eighty percent of the time. At Shorebird, she'd have the Knife and Fork Burrito ($20). This hefty burrito has scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, cheddar cheese, sour cream inside, and pico de gallo, salsa, and guacamole on the top. If this had been my burrito, I would have liked everything included inside the burrito or on the side so I could combine all the items topping this. Katie called this burrito fine, but there was nothing that wowed her about this. She would get something else on a future visit. 

I've written it before, but taking a bad picture of a benedict is almost impossible. There's just something so eye-popping about how the yellow on the poached egg catches the eye. It's magical. Of course, they are good to eat as well. This Maryland Crab Eggs Benedict ($29) was no exception. Instead of the tired English muffin, Shorebird built this benedict with a slice of sourdough bread as its base, then placed a crab cake on top of that, along with a perfectly poached egg, Hollandaise sauce, and then finished it off with some herbs and asparagus on top. The egg and hollandaise were nicely done here, and I loved the use of sourdough, which is easier to cut through than a typical English muffin. The crab cake was well made with chunks of crab instead of being all filler. I was also a fan of the crispy potatoes, as they were fork-tender, and each bite had a ton of flavor, which was made even better with the provided lemon aioli that came with this plate. Nicely done. 

Shorebird is a welcome addition to Newport Beach's brunch scene. It offers a gorgeous view, a lively atmosphere, and food that merits return visits. The menu is varied enough, with twenty-nine items, so you won't be bored eating through it. We experienced professional service during our stay and had no issues at Shorebird. Some might be put off by the almost party feel of the place, but I rather enjoyed it as it helped distinguish it from our recent Sunday routine. We're looking forward to a return to Shorebird after the football season ends. 

Out of five frequent flyer miles (because the bar-tailed godwit, a shorebird, has the longest migration route of 8000 miles non-stop from Alaska to Australia and back every year), five being best to zero being worst, Shorebird gets 3.5 frequent flyer miles. 

For more information about Shorebird, head to their website by clicking here: https://shorebirdrestaurant.com/

Easy Breezy Breakfast in San Juan Capistrano

 Breezy

31761 Camino Capistrano Suite 4

San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Football season is rapidly approaching, and if it's anything like the last few years, Katie and I will be sitting in front of the TV every Sunday until January from 10am til 8pm. For the first time in years, we have legitimate hope that our football team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, will be relevant this year. In the last 20 years, they have only had a winning season five times, and last year, they showed signs that they were ready to have another winning season this year. Time will tell, but as our Sundays will soon be filled with nothing but football, we needed to get out and try a brunch spot that has gotten quite a lot of buzz in the last year. That's what has brought us to Breezy in San Juan Capistrano. 

Breezy has been open for 11 months, and their Yelp rating is a respectable four and a half stars with close to 300 reviews. They have had write-ups in the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times. They were also mentioned as having one of the best breakfast burritos in OC by Eater LA, and the throngs of people waiting for a table on weekends are a testament to their apparent popularity. 

Taking over the former Ramen Shack space in the Capistrano Plaza, which is mere steps away from the famous San Juan Capistrano Mission and the always bustling train station, Breezy was brought to life by commercial real estate developer Jasmin Gonzales and a collaboration between the guys from Shootz Hawaiian and butcher shop Primal Cuts, both tenants at Rodeo 39 Public Market in Stanton. Jasmin wanted to bring a brunch concept that featured Filipino-inspired breakfast items to the people of South OC. 

The one-page food menu is broken up into pancakes and French toasts, benedicts, avocado toasts, acai bowls, and specialties of the house. Most items hover around the $16 price point, with only the Ribeye Steak and Eggs and the Crab Cake Benedict over the $25 threshold. We were met with about a half-hour wait on a recent Sunday morning at half past 10. During less busy times, you wait to be seated, and during peak times, like when we visited, you sign in through the Yelp stand at the front of the restaurant and wait for your party to be called. 

The restaurant is very comforting, with its pink-hued walls, flower-shaped lighting fixtures, and ivy-covered wall proclaiming to everyone to " keep it breezy."  The decor here appeals to the Instagram set, but not in an annoying way. We waited about fifteen minutes for our food, which was good considering how packed they were. Let's see if all the love this trendy brunch spot gets is warranted. 

Up first for us was the S'Mores French Toast ($16.99). For their French toast, they utilize milk bread and top this version with a Nutella drizzle, toasted marshmallows, mixed berries, graham cracker crumbs, and an ube whipped cream. This had a muted sweetness on its own, but I added some of the maple syrup available on each table to make this a tad sweeter for my tastes. I would have also liked this better if it featured more of a s'mores taste. There was just a dusting of graham crackers, and this needed a bit more Nutella to represent the s'mores feel they were going for. It was still good, but I decided to try the more popular Ube French Toast on my next visit.   

Katie's a creature of habit when it comes to eating breakfast out. About ninety percent of the time, she'll opt to get a breakfast burrito, and at Breezy, that meant she'd be having this Adobo Breakfast Burrito ($14.99). Shredded adobo pork is not included in most breakfast burritos that we've come across, but it was here. Joining the pork here were some scrambled eggs, garlic rice, avocado, sour cream, cotija cheese, salsa verde, and pickled red onions. Katie has been daydreaming about this burrito since she had it. She loved the tender pork and the fluffy scrambled eggs in this, but most of all, she loved the garlic rice that added even more flavor to each bite. 

I shouldn't harp on Katie about always getting the same thing at breakfast restaurants because I'm pretty predictable when I spy chilaquiles on a menu. I had initially entered Breezy thinking I would be having the Loco Moco, but I reverted to my tried and true love, the Adobo Chilaquiles ($15.99). Two sunny-side-up eggs topping a mound of fried tortilla chips, shredded adobo pork, sour cream, radishes, pickled red onion, a sprinkling of cotija cheese, and just enough salsa verde made up this very filling plate. I really enjoyed the uniqueness of these chilaquiles. The adobo pork was tender and had just enough tang to it without being too much. The tortilla chips stood up well to the toppings and stayed relatively crispy throughout the meal. The eggs added a lovely richness that helped balance this a bit. I will try the loco moco next time, but I will find it hard to skip this.  

I've always said that it's hard for breakfast restaurants to set themselves apart from each other. Most menus are basically the same, with a few minor tweaks. Breezy is one brunch spot that has carved out its niche with its nod to Filipino flavors and ingredients. Filipino food has been primed for its breakout in OC for years, and Breezy is just another step in that direction. The love this restaurant has garnered from the people of SJC in its first year might prove my point. Even if you're unfamiliar with Filopino flavors, I think you should visit Breezy. The waitstaff worked as a team, which worked perfectly on this particular morning. We never waited for refills, and plates were cleared promptly. Breezy will find its way into our breakfast rotation with some regularity, even during football season.  

Out of five silver salmon (because Cold Bay, Alaska is the breeziest/windiest city in the US, and they hold the Silver Salmon Fishing Derby every year), five being best to zero being worst, Breezy gets 3.5 silver salmon. 

For more information about Breezy, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.experiencebreezy.com/

Abandoning Ship for Brunch in Cabo

 Casasola Café and Brunch

Miguel Hidalgo S/N 23450

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico

It was day 5 of our cruise, and it was time to bust out. We had spent the first two days of our vacation at sea. Our first port was Puerto Vallarta, where we spent the day at a resort soaking up the sun, indulging in the all-you-could-drink beverages, and partaking in an all-you-can-eat buffet that could best be described as just as good as what we had experienced at Hometown Buffet when they were still in business. Not very good. 

On day four, we walked to Plaza Machado, a central square in Mazatlan. We strolled around this historical district's shops and enjoyed more cocktails and some divine seafood on a heavily shaded patio at one of the local restaurants. When we arrived in Cabo the following day, we were looking to get out of the touristy harbor area and eat where the locals dine. So I did what I would have done when I was back home. I consulted Yelp for a breakfast restaurant with good reviews that would get us away from the craziness that was Cabo during spring break. We headed to Casasola Cafe. 

Casasola Cafe is located five or so blocks northwest of the harbor. The walk was slightly elevated from the port, and I imagine it would be grueling in the summer heat of Cabo. However, on this March day, it was only 80 degrees, so we only needed one glass of iced tea to bring down our body temperature. We were seated in the back room of the restaurant, right near the kitchen. There was a good mix of people here, women celebrating an upcoming baby's arrival, an English couple sitting at the table next to us here on holiday, and plenty of locals. 

Even if you have a minimal grasp of Spanish, you should be fine at Casasola. The menus are printed in English, and communication with our server was a breeze. The one-page menu is divided into egg dishes, Mexican breakfast specialties, sandwiches, specialties of the house, and breakfast breads, such as pancakes, waffles, and crepes. The opposite side of the page features beverages ranging from coffee, smoothies, shakes, and juices. Prices are listed in pesos, but entrees typically average about $12 per plate. Way more affordable than breakfast in the US. Let's see if I made a good selection visiting Casasola while we were in Cabo. 

Katie went pretty vanilla for her breakfast at Casasola with this Glendale French ($10.90).  This plate included French toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, seasoned potatoes, and fresh fruit. Little portions of lots of things are how I'd describe this plate. The little round French toast was topped with plenty of berries and served with jam, even though the menu mentioned this would include maple syrup. No worries, though, as Katie really enjoyed this and couldn't help but gush about how fresh everything tasted. I did not snap a picture, but she was also enamored with the coffee here, which she desperately needed after going five whole days without her beloved Iced Americano from Starbucks. 

Frequent readers of this blog have probably noticed my love affair with Chilaquiles ($12.29). It's almost a given that if I see it on a menu, I'll need to order it, and I was in Mexico, the birthplace of this breakfast staple, so it was predestined that I would be consuming it this morning. I added arrachera, which is a skirt steak and a fried egg. This version of chilaquiles was built with some delicious refried beans and then was topped with cotija cheese, onion, crisp tortilla strips, radishes, crema, and cilantro. I got the red version, which was a lot spicier than I expected, but it awakened my taste buds quickly. Really tasty and full of flavor. I'd definitely get this again. 

Casasola Cafe was worth the ten-minute walk from the port. After having nothing but cruise ship food for almost a week, this breakfast was a like a breath of fresh air that woke us up from the doldrums. It was nice to get out of the tourist traps that face the harbor and go where the locals eat. The service was cordial, and the food came out promptly. The check was about $15 less than a similar meal would cost us back in OC, so this was a good value for better food than what you could get near the much more crowded port. 

 Out of five marlins (because this city is commonly known as the Marlin Capital of the World), five being best to zero being worst, Casasola Cafe and Brunch gets 3 marlins. 

For more information about Casasola Cafe and Brunch, click here to visit their website: https://www.casasolacafe.com/

Straightforward Breakfast at SC Cafe in San Clemente

 SC Cafe

1810 South El Camino Real

San Clemente, CA 92672

Sometimes you just want a straightforward breakfast joint. In recent years boozy brunches, healthy options for the first meal of the day, and places that focus on locally sourced ingredients have become all the rage regarding breakfast eateries. Most of these restaurants are fine, but sometimes I'm just in the mood for good, solid, not-too-fancy breakfast foods. After we walked on the San Clemente Beach Trail, I wanted a no-frills meal at the nearby SC Cafe. 

This spot is off the beaten path. It's situated right next to the Northbound 5 offramp and next to Surfin Donuts on the bottom floor of a small non-descript office building. Parking is definitely at a premium at SC Cafe, as they have about five or six parking spots available to their customers. The parking situation kept us from visiting earlier, as we could not find a place to park about a year earlier. However, we were more determined to eat here this time, so we parked a quarter mile away and walked to and from the restaurant. 

I don't know much about the origins of SC Cafe. They have no website, and I could not find anything about them in the local press. However, their Yelp page reveals that they have been in business since at least 2007 and have a pretty impressive four-and-a-half-star rating with over 200 reviews. This is the true definition of a local place. We arrived at half past 11 on a Sunday and were met with about a ten-minute wait for a table. 

The inside features a beachy vibe, with six booths, a smattering of tables, and counter seating for four. There's also a patio in the front of the restaurant, a holdover from the pandemic times. The menu is a good size for such a small place. Breakfast options include egg basics, griddle offerings, Baja breakfasts, and SC Cafe favorites. As they are open until 2pm every day, there are plenty of sandwiches and Mexican fare to choose from. We, of course, veered towards breakfast. Let's check out what we partook of after our not-very-strenuous beach walk. 

First, we'll look at Katie's meal, Nicole's Mix ($13.95 + $2 for avocado and sour cream). I'm still determining who Nicole is, but she has to be a fan of spinach, eggs, and onions mixed with hashbrowns and topped with jack cheese and avocado slices. Katie called this delicious. She enjoyed the alternating crispy and tender parts of the hashbrowns and the very liberal amount of cheese they used here. However, she felt that the eggs were indiscernible as they got pushed to the side by the other ingredients on the plate. Nonetheless, she would get this again on future visits to SC Cafe. 

I have recently been on a real Chilaquiles ($16.95 + $2 for two eggs) kick. I can't get enough of this traditional Mexican breakfast dish. However, the one here is a little different than most. The tortilla chips are not fried in red or green salsa but in a jalapeno-cilantro sauce and then topped with chicken, avocado, crema, and cheese. Even though this was not traditional, I found it tasty. The flavorful sauce was not too spicy, went well with the rest of the dish, and kept me interested from my first bite to my last. I had planned on only eating half of this and taking the rest home for dinner later, but it was so good, and my willpower was not the best, so I did end up eating all of it. 

As is my routine when eating breakfast out, I always like to pair savory and sweet. That meant I had to try the Short Stack of Chocolate Chip Pancakes ($6.95 + $1 for the chocolate chips). These were solid pancakes on their own, but they were made even better with the suitable amount of chocolate chips they provided. A perfect companion to the savory part of my meal. 

I was stoked with our food at SC Cafe this early afternoon. But is it drive-worthy for the rest of OC? Sadly, it's not, but if you are in the area, or since they are so close to the freeway, driving through, SC Cafe will give you the fuel needed to jumpstart your day. This is a no-nonsense breakfast spot serving up some solid food with a competent crew serving you. It's easily in the top 5 breakfast restaurants in San Clemente and will be in our rotation of places we hit up after our walks on the San Clemente Beach Trail. 

Out of five pool noodles (because the city of San Clemente was founded by Ole Hanson in 1925, and his name still adorns the Beach Club, which features a pool that I'm sure has seen its fair share of pool noodles), five being best to zero being worst, SC Cafe gets 3 pool noodles. 

SC Cafe does not have a website, but you can find out more about them by clicking here to visit their Yelp page: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sc-cafe-san-clemente?sort_by=date_asc

Our Reward for Finishing the Race, Poached in Irvine

 Poached Neighborhood Kitchen

17595 Harvard Ave Unit A 

Irvine, CA 92614

Katie and I have a new endeavor that we have taken on. We are doing a 5k race monthly for the next twelve months. It actually sounds a lot more impressive than it actually is. We are not necessarily running the 3.1 miles, instead, I'd categorize our style at these races as more of a casual stroll than a run, but the main thing is that we are getting out and being active. Even if that means we have been soundly beaten by people nearly double our age, at least we get a participation medal to display on our wall at home. 

All these races have allowed us to try some breakfast spots that we'd typically not get to because Katie sleeps until 10am on most Sundays. Our first race was at Irvine Valley College on the Fourth of July. The race was over at 9am, and we were predictably ready to add to our caloric intake after the taxing three miles we had just endured. This allowed us to try a notoriously busy breakfast spot a few miles away from our race, Poached Neighborhood Kitchen. 

Poached opened right in the middle of the pandemic, in August 2020. This is their second location, with the first one launching in Downey in the spring of 2017. They make everything from scratch here and hand-pick their suppliers to know where their ingredients come from. They use organic produce when available and meat free of GMOs and nitrates. 

We have driven by Poached a couple of times in the past, but the long line of people scared us off from even getting out of the car. There was a short line this time, so we gave it a shot. While in line, they get your name and how many are in your party. Once a table is available, you order at the counter and are directed to your table. I wish Stacks Pancake House would employ this system because it's awkward to hover around waiting for a table to open up. 

Poached is open for service seven days a week from 7am to 2pm. Their menu is predictably breakfast focused, but there are six options for people that are averse to breakfast foods. I'm sure there are a few of you out there. The rest of the menu is dedicated to the day's first meal. Their menu is divided into breakfast classics, benedicts, scrambles and omelets, hand-held breakfasts, griddle favorites, and a couple of bowl options for lighter eaters. Only one item on their menu is over $16, and that's the steak and eggs, which will set you back $25. A little rich for my blood, but let's see what we did end up trying at Poached. 

Katie must have been exhausted from the walk we just had because she selected the first thing on the Poached menu, the Morning Scramble ($15). Okay, maybe it was just a coincidence, but she did suck down two iced teas and water while waiting ten minutes for our food to arrive. Anyways, back to her scramble. With this three-egg scramble, you get to choose your protein, she went with bacon, and it's finished with cheddar cheese and comes with hashbrowns and toast. She liked the straightforwardness of this scramble. It was lighter than most, not relying on much bacon and cheese to overwhelm the eggs. Her hashbrowns were a little undercooked as they were limp in some forkfuls. The toast was sturdy and better once she asked for a little extra butter.  

I'm always one to pair sweet and savory together for breakfast, and this Churro Waffle ($13) satisfied the first part of that requirement, or did it? These two waffles came with a house-made caramel sauce, cinnamon butter, and a trio of sugars; powdered, cinnamon, and turbinado. As you can see from the shot above, they used the caramel sauce sparingly, especially since there was another waffle under the top. They also must have forgotten the sugars because this was devoid of any sweetness besides a few flecks of visible powdered sugar. It's a shame because the waffle here was really well-made and promising. The churro feel of this was definitely missing. 

As much as the waffle disappointed me, this Korean Short Rib Benedict ($16) almost made up for it. The English muffin is the base and then layered with pulled short rib, a perfectly poached egg, hollandaise, and a sprinkle of paprika. I liked the slight twist of using the gochujang, a red chili paste, with the short rib. It made this a little different from the other benedicts out there. The hollandaise sauce was well done, and the runny yolk in the poached egg tied everything together wonderfully. Even my hash browns were more well done than the ones that Katie had. 

A little mixed bag for us on this visit to Poached Neighborhood Kitchen. The waffle failed to impress, Katie's scramble was fine, and my benedict was the best thing we tried here. Even though things were all over the board here, I'm intrigued to revisit and try their chilaquiles, chile verde benedict, and some seasonal menu items. The dining room tables are pretty close together, but the atmosphere at Poached is rather fun and high energy. Even though you don't have a dedicated server, we found the food runners willing to help with anything we may have needed. It's easy to see why there's a long line most weekend mornings. Now, onto the next race for us. 

Out of five Olympic medals (because now that Katie and I have taken up 5k races, an Olympic medal has never been more within our reach), five being best to zero being worst, Poached Neighborhood Kitchen gets 3 Olympic medals. 

For more information about Poached Neighborhood Kitchen, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.poachedkitchen.com/

Hoping the Hits Keep Coming at the Former Break of Dawn Spot

 

 Balvina's

24291 Avenida De La Carlota

Laguna Hills, CA 92653

When I started this blog in 2009, any foodie, food journalist, or best-of list for breakfast restaurants had Break of Dawn in Laguna Hills ranked as one of the must-visits for the first meal of the day in OC. The food was excellent and unique, and the back story of the restaurant added to the delightfulness of Break of Dawn. Unfortunately, they closed in September of 2021, but the word on the street is that they may reopen soon in Old Towne Orange. 

That's not the only good news that I have to share. Break of Dawn's old location transitioned quickly into Balvina's, a Mexican restaurant owned by Alejandro Cuellar, the former general manager of Break of Dawn. This Puebla, Mexico native moved to California in 1994, working his way from dishwasher to owner. Balvina is his mother's name, and it is a tribute to her because she's the one that taught him the culinary techniques that have become the cornerstone of the food he has created at Balvina's. 

The restaurant is open seven days a week from 8 to 2pm for breakfast and lunch, then reopens for dinner service from 5 to 9pm. Since Katie is always a late riser on Sundays, we made a quick reservation online for 11am about an hour and a half beforehand. Upon arrival, we were seated promptly on their shaded patio at the front of the restaurant. Besides the stringed lighting hanging from the ceiling and the signage, not much had changed to the interior from the days when this was Break of Dawn. 

The breakfast menu features a dozen options, plus a section of the menu that will excite fans of the former tenant of this space. Five of the Break of Dawn dishes are offered here. They include two of my favorites, the Sausage and Rice and the Pork Belly. But, unfortunately, those would have to wait, as I was here to try what Balvina's had to offer. So, let's see if they can keep the wonderful food coming out of this same kitchen. 

Katie had ordered the breakfast burrito, but our server brought her the Huevos Con Machaca Sonora ($17) instead. It's basically the same thing, but this is the deconstructed version. Both plates had beef machaca, refried beans, green salsa, and flour tortillas, so really, the only difference was that she ate this with a fork instead of with her hands. It also saved us a dollar by getting this instead of the burrito. For the most part, she was pretty happy with this meal. She loved the green salsa, which boosted the flavor of everything it touched. The beans were top-tier as well. Her one complaint was that the balance between the eggs and the beef was heavy in favor of the eggs. Still, this was a winning first meal of the day. 

I have become obsessed with Chilaquiles ($16), and I try it almost every time it's listed on a breakfast menu. Balvina's version is very high quality and one of the better ones I have had this year. It starts with a base of corn tortillas sauteed with very flavorful salsa ranchera, then is topped with sunny-side-up eggs, cotija cheese, a wedge of avocado, and a drizzle of crema. It was artfully constructed and a pleasure to eat. I wish the tortillas would have been a little crisper, but I'm just being nitpicky. 

Since they did not offer the option to add meat to my chilaquiles, I got extra protein by getting this Hawaiian Sausage ($6.24). This casing had a nice snap, and the pork inside had a tinge of pineapple, which contrasted nicely with the savory pork. 

We ended our meal at Balvina's with Buttermilk Pancakes ($12). They offer these with either a pear compote or bananas. We chose the latter. These were kind of lackluster. I like it better when the bananas are incorporated into the batter, but these had them on top with some whipped cream. A very light pancake but also a little bland. The syrup that they served with this followed in the same vein as the pancakes. It added no sweetness, and we were not given too much of it. 

Besides the pancakes, Balvina's is a worthy replacement for Break of Dawn. Yes, the food is different, but it's made with the same care as this building's former tenant. The Mexican breakfast options are the stars of the show, and for those that miss BofD, I'm sure their menu items that showcase Dee Nguyen's cuisine are just as good. Service was a little hit or miss on this later morning, as our server left us for long periods, and there also was that snafu with Katie's entree. I'm looking forward to returning soon to try their offerings for dinner. Balvina's continues to extend a good run at this address. 

Out of five library cards (because Puebla, Mexico, where the owner of Balvina's is from, is home to the Palafoxiana Library, the oldest library in the Americas, which was founded in 1646), five being best to zero being worst, Balvina's gets 3.5 library cards. 

For more information about Balvina's, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.balvinas.com/

Shedding Some Light on Brunch at Lighthouse Café

 Lighthouse Cafe

1600 West Balboa Blvd. 

Newport Beach, CA 92663

This is a review a few years in the making. For a while, it seemed like we were never going to get the chance to eat here. It felt like the odds were against us. We had come down to the beach three times to have brunch and were met with crazy long wait times of multiple hours. It seems that when the weather is beautiful, the ocean is like a magnet to people. They want to be near it when they eat. After multiple false starts, we finally made it to the Lighthouse Cafe. 

What was the secret to our success? I finally got smart and added my name to the Yelp waitlist. Even if you are not signed into the Yelp app, you can still get your place in line at the Lighthouse, without even being there. Since we live about half an hour away, and Katie has an affinity for sleeping in on Sunday mornings, I selected a convenient time that we could arrive by. It worked like a charm. When we arrived at half-past ten, we were alerted that our table was ready. At that time they were quoting wait times at the hostess podium of nearly two hours. 

Lighthouse Cafe is a two-story restaurant, which overlooks picturesque Newport Bay. The restaurant is located in Marina Park, which has plenty of pay parking available most of the time. We were seated inside the dining room, which I did not mind, as we were going to get to enjoy the outside environment on our planned walk after brunch. The dining space here has a very beachy, relaxed vibe that creates a vacation feeling that washes over you, even if you are only a half-hour from home. 

The brunch menu at Lighthouse truly has something for everyone. There are a dozen starters to choose from, and the entrees number close to twenty, with plenty of breakfast and more of what I'd consider lunch options to choose from. All the starters and most of the entrees do not eclipse the $20 price point, which is pretty impressive, especially in this part of town. Most restaurants that have amazing views try to get by with mediocre food, so I was hoping that Lighthouse Cafe would buck that trend. Let's see if that is the case. 

If you are eating here for brunch, you will be hard-pressed to find a table that does not have these Beignets ($7.99) placed prominently. These little puffs of pastry are probably the signature items at Lighthouse Cafe. These dozen or so beignets came to our table piping hot, dusted with a little cinnamon sugar, and drizzled with icing. These little pillows are hollow inside, which helps keep them light and airy as you find yourself on your sixth one in about two minutes. Definitely worth getting, especially if you like pairing sweet and savory for your first meal of the day like I do. 

Katie is drawn to breakfast burritos almost every time we head out to breakfast. The Breakfast Burrito ($15.99) at Lighthouse Cafe comes with a whole cavalcade of items; both bacon and sausage, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, potatoes, avocado, crema, and pico de gallo topping this good sized burrito. Katie loved the lightness of the burrito and the avocado crema the best, but she did wish this had more cheese included. 

I really hesitated to order the Steak Chilaquiles ($18.99) here. I've been burned so many times getting chilaquiles at non-Mexican restaurants, but this actually turned out to be a pretty solid choice this morning. The housemade, red-hued tortilla chips were pretty crisp, the flank steak was not only plentiful, but tender, and the two sunny-side-up eggs tied everything together nicely. This dish had a gradual spiciness that intensified as I went along devouring the chilaquiles. Nicely done. 

This visit to Lighthouse Cafe showed me that restaurants with a spectacular view can serve some pretty good food. It's really no surprise that they have such long waits on weekends for tables outside, but even if you have to sit indoors, you will be treated to a pretty solid brunch. I look forward to trying more off of their brunch menu, or maybe even venturing over this way for dinner in the very near future. Our server Haley was a delight from start to finish, and she helped add to the vacation feeling we had throughout our visit to Lighthouse Cafe. Glad we persevered to eat here, and very thankful that I finally used the Yelp waitlist to make it happen.  

Out of five dragons, (because whenever I think about lighthouses it reminds me of Pete's Dragon, a 1977 Disney film, which featured not only a lighthouse but an animated dragon), five being best to zero being worst, Lighthouse Cafe gets 3.5 dragons. 

For more information about Lighthouse Cafe, head to their website here: https://lighthousenb.com/

Buttering up to the Butter House

 

The Butter House

1760 Fremont Blvd. Suite B-1

Seaside, CA 93955

My brother-in-law's wedding day, so a hearty breakfast was needed to get us through the day. A quick Yelp search yielded plenty of breakfast options that looked promising, but there was one that caught my eye right away. It was The Butter House in nearby Seaside, about ten minutes from our hotel in Monterey. 

Butter House opened its doors in 2019 and was brought to us by Susan and Benny Mosqueda, longtime locals of the area who wanted to bring breakfast with a Polynesian/Filipino twist to the citizenry of this region. They must have tapped into something because there's a wait for a table most days, and if you are determined to eat here on the weekend, plan on getting to Butter House early or check in on Yelp and wait it out. 

Since we were going to be eating with Katie's sister and her family, we checked in on Yelp on our way over, and by the time they arrived, we were pretty close to being seated. We were taken to the back portion of the busy restaurant, which was perfect because we were going to be eating with our toddler nephew Jacob, who, like all two years olds, can best be described as wormy, as he doesn't sit still for a moment. 

As I mentioned earlier, there's definitely a Hawaiian vibe with many of the house specialties. Still, there's plenty to choose from for people who like more straightforward, traditional breakfast options. There's plenty in the way of egg combos, scrambles, benedicts, hashes, pancakes, waffles, and french toast. Even though this is mainly a breakfast restaurant, they are open until 2pm, so there are also some burgers, sandwiches, and appetizers to select from. We were focused on breakfast, so let's see if we made a wise decision coming here. 

Let's start off with my sister-in-law's breakfast. No one will ever call Emily an adventurous eater. She's pretty vanilla when it comes to food. So, it was no surprise that she only got this Bacon and Egg Combo ($12). Two eggs, four strips of bacon, and what looked like country potatoes from my vantage point across the table made up this plate. To her credit, Emily did have a few bites of this, but she shared most of this plate with Jacob, who took a few bites while watching his tablet. 

Katie was not much more adventurous when it came to her choice for breakfast, with this Breakfast Burrito ($10). Rolled up in the flour tortilla were two scrambled eggs, bell peppers, onions, cheese, and hashbrowns, with her choice of protein this particular morning being bacon. This also came with three hash browns triangles as her side, just in case she did not have enough potato. This was a more enormous burrito than she thought it would be, and she had a hard time finishing it. She felt the egg-to-potato ratio was a little too much in favor of the potatoes, as she would have liked more egg in here, but a solid breakfast burrito nonetheless. It was made better with their delicious salsa verde. The hashbrowns on the side were nicely fried and crispy.  

I knew I could count on Jason to get something a little more out of the box for breakfast, and he obliged by getting the Adobo Pork Belly Fried Rice ($15). This one starts with some garlic fried rice, then topped with pork belly tossed in adobo sauce, and finished with bell peppers, onions, and two eggs. This was really tasty. The pork belly was tender and flavorful, the rice went perfectly with it, and the eggs bound everything together. Stick to your ribs comfort food that made Jason very happy that he ordered this meal to start his day. 

Last was my meal, the Fried Chicken and Waffles ($15.50). To be honest, I've never really seen the appeal of this very popular dish. That was until this particular morning at the Butter House. The fried chicken was boneless, had a nice crunchy breading surrounding it, and was one of the most tender pieces of chicken I have had the pleasure to consume when bitten into it. It was made even better with the SOS Gravy, which was well worth the extra $3 upcharge. The waffle was done nicely, with deep wells in each piece which allowed the maple syrup to supply plenty of sweetness in each forkful. This dish got a hold of me well past our weekend getaway, and I find myself looking for reasons to revisit this area just so I can partake in this great breakfast again. 

As if you couldn't tell, I was pretty smitten with our visit to The Butter House. It's hard to elevate breakfast, but they achieved it with the Polynesian tinge on some plates. If I lived in the area, I'd definitely be up to try their breakfast fried rice, breakfast sandwich, and lumpia, which they were not serving when we visited in early October. The service was pretty good, especially considering how busy they were. The food also got out way faster than I imagined, which was excellent since we were eating with a toddler and had to prepare for the upcoming Big Sur wedding later in the afternoon. The Butter House is definitely worth a visit when you find yourself in the Monterey area. 

Out of five otters (because the city of Seaside is home to Cal State University Monterey Bay, and their mascot is fittingly an otter), five being best to zero being worst, The Butter House gets 4 otters.  

For more information about The Butter House, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.thebutterhouse.com/home-copy

Hoping This Toast Will Be the Toast of the Town

 Toast Kitchen and Bar

190 South State College

Brea, CA 92821

The restaurant business, just like other parts of society is a trend-based culture. If someone comes upon a really good thing, others seem to copy it. Remember when frozen yogurt shops were sprouting up almost everywhere? Then people seemed to turn their attention to poke, and you could get those fish cubes almost everywhere. Now it seems like the tides have turned once again, and it's not a type of restaurant that is the new hot thing, but rather a name. 

A quick Yelp search of the restaurants with the name Toast yields six results throughout southern California. Okay, maybe it's not as big of a trend as the others I had mentioned, but it could be a little confusing if your friend mentions that they want to eat at Toast, and you both show up at different restaurants. To help you out a bit, I think I got all these Toast restaurants figured out until another one sprouts up. 

There's the wildly popular Toast Kitchen and Bakery in Costa Mesa, which almost always requires a wait for a table, especially on weekends. Toast in Temecula is also a very popular spot and gets some great reviews online. Toast Bakery and Cafe is yet another one up in LA and is situated on trendy Third Street. Don't worry people of North San Diego County, you are not to be left out with your very own, Toast Gastrobrunch. 

The aforementioned Toast restaurants are all independent of each other, with no connection that I'm aware of. That brings us to Toast, which has been operating in Whittier since 2016. They have a sister restaurant at the corner of Birch and State College in Brea, which they initially called The Dylan, but it has recently been renamed, and you guessed it, it's now Toast Kitchen and Bar. Confused? I'm sure you're not the only one. 

I recently ventured to Toast in Brea with my parents right around the time of their name change. At the time they still had a banner over their old name, so I assume the name change was just made recently from the time of my visit. I had not been to the Dylan, but I had been here when it was a Claim Jumper, several years ago. The dining area is much more opened up and brighter from what I remember during these CJ days, with some very high ceilings and plenty of white paint on the walls. 

The all-day menu predictably is breakfast-focused, but they are now open until 8pm, so there's salads, entrees, burgers, and sandwiches to choose from as well. Breakfast options hover around the $17 price point, but the steak and eggs will set you back $29. My parents and I had looked at the menu online and were pretty quick to make our selections. Here's how everything turned out for us on this late Thursday morning. 

Let's start things off with my dad's selection, the Bacon Avocado Benedict ($16). This is one of the nine benedicts available here at Toast. It came layered with an avocado mash on the bottom, two strips of bacon, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce blanketing the penthouse level. My dad called this excellent, even though there were temperature issues with this. He was a big fan of the generous amount of bacon and avocado that came with it. He'd totally get this again. 

Breakfast sandwiches are my mom's thing, so she had to give this Breakfast Croissant ($14) a try. This sandwich had a little more heft to it than she's used to on other breakfast sandwiches she's had at other places. They use both black forest ham and bacon at Toast, then top it with an egg, sliced Tillamook cheddar cheese, and a touch of dijon aioli to round things out. She had asked for this to come with the egg over hard, but it came out with scrambled eggs instead. Not wanting to make a fuss, she ate it anyway and enjoyed it just the same. Both my mom and dad opted for the fresh fruit as their side, and they could not have been happier with their choice. They felt the fruit selection here was an upgrade from their usual breakfast spots. 

If my mom's thing is breakfast sandwiches, mine right as of this moment is breakfast burgers, as I've had many over the last month or so. This Brunch Burger ($17) is made up of an eight-ounce patty featuring both chorizo and beef and is then built up with a slice of white cheddar, bacon, sunny side up egg, and avocado all on a brioche bun. The patty really distinguished itself, with a more striking flavor profile due to the inclusion of the chorizo. The rest of the assembled cast added good texture and flavor in bursts. The yolk was runny and helped bind everything together, so my extra side of aioli that I asked for was not needed too much. I was intrigued by the description of the Hash Brown Chips, which the menu described as a cross between fries, potato chips, and hash browns. The menu got this right, but they were awkward to eat, as they were fried crispy and I wanted to eat them with my fingers like chips or fries, but they were too little to get a good handle on. It was also futile to eat them with my fork, as I could only pick them up one at a time. I'd prefer getting their country potatoes next time with cheese and jalapenos added. 

Toast Kitchen and Bar was better than I imagined it would be. It was definitely an improved alternative to a recent brunch we had at the nearby Lazy Dog Cafe on Mother's Day. I liked almost everything we had but did find the prices a few dollars too high on most items. There were also some issues with the kitchen on this visit, most noticeably the lukewarm temperature of my dad's meal and my mom's eggs being scrambled instead of over hard as she had instructed. Service was fine, but not especially warm and inviting. Even though Toast is not the most original name for a breakfast spot, I'd return here to try more of their menu. I'll just have to make sure that whoever I'm meeting knows what Toast to show up at. 

Out of five Ferris wheels, (because like the electric toaster, the Ferris wheel came into existence in 1893), five being best to zero being worst, Toast Kitchen and Bar gets 3 Ferris wheels. 

For more information about Toast Kitchen and Bar, head to their website here: https://www.toastbrea.com/