Fresh is the word at Broken Yolk Caf

A tall goblet foaming with fresh-squeezed California tangerine juice graces the table at the Broken Yolk Café in Temecula. I would be happy to just sit and sip this marvelous drink, but wait…there’s more! A smiling server sets down a waffle graced with a delicate tiara of strawberries and swirls of whipped cream topped with a sweet strawberry sauce. The golden waffle texture is somewhere between soft and crisp, which means it’s cooked just right. The entire concoction is just heavenly!

The Eggs Benedict flavors are identifiable. A perfectly toasted English muffin is layered with only three ingredients. Yes, there is something to be said for simplicity. Canadian bacon with a slightly smoky flavor is the anchor, followed by two large poached eggs. Hollandaise sauce mingles with the egg, seeps into the nooks and crannies of the muffin and saturates the meat. This sauce is difficult to get right and the Broken Yolk knows the secret. It is rich, smooth and not too salty.

Diners have a choice of freshly-made home fries, hash browns or fresh fruit to accompany the Eggs Benedict. The fruit is seasonal, but I was served a flavorful mix of pineapple, orange, watermelon, honeydew melon and cantaloupe.

The restaurant has only been open since October and they already have “regulars.” Sometimes it takes years to establish a regular clientele. The Broken Yolk is open every single day of the year, so it is something that customers can depend on. But the owners, Oscar and Jennifer Babbs, have what seems like an innate desire to please their customers. They look for a genuinely kind, happy person when they hire their employees. The servers smile. Even when they answer the phone you know that they are smiling. “You can always train someone to cook,” said Jennifer.

Oscar admires Walt Disney and patterns many of his business techniques after what he has read about this man who dedicated his life to not only making people happy, but adhering to high standards.

“We don’t just sell food on a plate – we want them to have a good experience,” Oscar noted.

A native of Barcelona, Spain, Oscar was raised around good food. He would accompany his grandfather to the local tapas bar and there Oscar was offered a job cleaning kitchens. His life-long career in the restaurant business began at age 15, then he moved to cooking from there. Oscar honed his skills at the Hofman Culinary School in Barcelona and worked in restaurants in England and France before moving to the United States.

“I like to cook simple food,” Oscar mentioned. “The flavors at the Broken Yolk are not confusing…I was impressed with the simplicity of the menu. Everything is fresh – eggs are cracked and potatoes are peeled.”

The Broken Yolk has a room that can be divided into two sections with seating for 30 diners each; and without the divider, 60 or so people can be accommodated. There are sound-proof doors between the rooms and also between the rooms and the restaurant. Two televisions, a podium, sound system, dedicated phone line and Internet connection are also available. There is no charge for room rental, but they do ask that all people in the party order a meal.

The Broken Yolk is located at 26495 Ynez Road in Temecula. Contact them at (855) 229-YOLK (9655), or visit http://www.thebrokenyolkcafe.com. The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day of the year.