Family-Owned Break of Dawn Creates Friends Out of Regulars

In 2006, 1 called Break of Dawn the best little gem of a restaurant in Orange County. Three years later, I'm standing by my opinion and naming it Restaurant of the Year.

When it opened three years ago, neither the public nor restaurant writers expected a place serving only breakfast and hmch to become so important to the culinary scene. And, few could have predicted that it would become so well known and highly regarded in such a short period of time. We're talking about a restaurant that is tucked in the back of a common looking shopping center - the Oakbrook Village Center at the back of Laguna Hills Mall - after all.

From culinary aficionados to unpretentious diners who just appreciate great food, we're no longer surprised by Break of Dawn. We've simply fallen under the spell of the ultra creative and sophisticated food that the former executive sous of the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel is showcasing - and all of it at such value-oriented prices. What ownetfchef Dee Nguyen puts on the plates has the same appealing vibes as anything in our most exclusive restaurants; he merely does it for a lot less money in a happy, casual and down to earth place where the spirit of friendship floats in the air like the heady aromas wafting from the food It's a family run affair where repeat customers become friends.