“Do what you love and keep your family close,” is the motto owner and chef Angela lives by.

Break of Dawn was born out of a lifetime of unexpected twists and turns. For Angela, whose culinary journey began at the San Francisco-based California Culinary Academy and rapidly rose to the Executive Sous Chef position.

At a major crossroad in her career, Angela chose to follow her heart and her true passion – her family. She left behind her lucrative and prestigious position to open a modest 50-seat breakfast and lunch restaurant, located only three miles from home, to have a more manageable schedule to better care for Berlin.

Break of Dawn open its doors in Laguna Hills where it remained for seven years before relocating to its current spot just a few doors down. The decor is modern eclectic with graffiti art on the wall and church pews as banquettes. Look closer and you will see tabletops sitting on recycled sewing machines. Everything at Break of Dawn is a labor of love especially when it comes to Angela’s cuisine. Her fine dining style comfort food ranges from classics such as mac n cheese, to bacon and eggs. But don’t expect a traditional dish to hit the table. There are always twists and turns always reflecting Angela’s out-of-the-box creativity and desire to bring a touch of her Vietnamese heritage to the plate.

The experience at Break of Dawn may be different to what you might be used to, but once you immerse yourself into the heart and soul of Break of Dawn, you will embrace it like so many others have before.