Break of Dawn – the phrase conjures up notions of a new beginning, the first ray of light shining on fertile ground. It ushers in a new day – one that is filled with hope, new ideas and inspiration.
   
And Dee Nguyen couldn’t have picked a better name for his cozy little Laguna Niguel restaurant.
   
Nguyen has gained a loyal following since opening his kitchen three years ago in a storefront location tucked deep inside a shopping center on Avenida de la Carlota. It’s not easy to find, but there’s no shortage of business. You see a constant stream of regulars file in and out of the eatery for breakfast and lunch (the restaurant closes at 2:30 p.m.).
   
Here, you’ll find a menu filled with comfort foods like french toast and Eggs Benedict for breakfast, and meatloaf and beef short ribs for lunch. But there’s an exotic twist to every dish. The toast is made of cinnamon-raisin brioche. The Eggs Benedict is served with a pesto hollandaise and sun-dried tomato focaccia. The meatloaf is served with two fried eggs and a sausage-espresso gravy. And the beef short ribs come with Merlot-poached eggs and a mushroom-taro ragout.
   
The butternut soup? Well, it’s served with crispy shrimp rolls and ginger cream.
   
And Nguyen is the culinary mastermind behind it all. He has an uncanny ability to pair unexpected ingredients with perfection. Perhaps it’s his background in biology (he loved cooking for his friends in college), his training at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and his time working as sous chef at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel that, when you put them all together, have provided Nguyen with this gift.
   
And for Nguyen, Break of Dawn is nothing less than a labor of love. There’s a reason the restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch: It allows Nguyen to spend quality time with his young son, who suffers from serious health issues. Between Nguyen and his wife, Linh, a pharmacist, the two are able to continue to provide all the love and care for their special-needs child.
   
It also allows Nguyen to nurture his culinary creativity, offering a menu that’s as sophisticated as any upscale destination restaurant here or abroad. Every dish awakens the senses – sight, smell, taste.
   
What a wonderful start to any day.

Break of Dawn
breakofdawnrestaurant.com
24351 Ave. de la Carlota, Suite N-6, Laguna Hills
949.587.9418
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday,
8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.