Broken Yolk: breakfast and lunch done right

It seems to be a rite of passage for most 20-somethings who move to San Diego to spend a couple of years living and partying in Pacific Beach. Part of that experience, or so I’ve been told, involves breakfast at the original Broken Yolk after a big night out. 
I can see the appeal with the huge breakfast and lunch selections, many of which are perfect to feed a morning after-induced-appetite. That, along with a little hair of the dog in the form of a mimosa with fresh squeezed orange juice or a Bloody Mary, could be just the ticket.
Fast forward 32 years from that original Broken Yolk and there are now seven locations around San Diego including the one in La Costa, where I had the pleasure of having both breakfast and lunch recently. I’ll start by saying the servers are as good as I’ve seen in such a fast-paced, high-volume environment. This place is always busy and I was never lacking for anything thanks to Cierra, our stellar server. The La Costa and San Marcos locations are operated by Oscar Babb, who hails from Barcelona, Spain, where he attended culinary school. 
Any breakfast and lunch joint that only serves fresh squeezed juices including orange, apple, pomegranate and lemonade, automatically earns my respect. It’s so easy not to do this and with the large, fresh-squeezed OJ that could be easily split by two people priced at $3.69, it’s a huge value. I forget the simple joy of fresh-squeezed juice sometimes and it really is a nice treat.
The breakfast menu at Broken Yolk is formidable with more than 60 choices so there really is something for everyone here. The omelet selection is like nothing I’ve ever seen and unless you have time set aside after your breakfast for a serious food coma, it would be very easy to take half your breakfast with to enjoy later on. All the omelets are $9.99 and given the quantity of food, it’s a great value. I should mention they will gladly split an order on to two plates, which would probably suffice for most modest appetites.
While there were several omelets that were new to me, the one that won out was the stroganoff with fresh ground beef, jack cheese, real sour cream and a mushroom sauce. I love stroganoff to begin with. Surround it with eggs, and some crispy hash browns and it really takes it to another level. I really should have taken my own advice on this one and taken half to eat later but I really could not stop myself.
My friends had the 27 Mile South omelet with chorizo and avocado and the Jack of Hearts omelet with bacon, artichoke hearts and jack cheese.
There is also a quiche of the day, chicken fried steak, huevos rancheros, eggs benedict, breakfast burritos and enchiladas, all of which I will be back to try. And yes, there are some healthy options, but what fun is that at a place like this?
My trip there for lunch was equally satisfying. All the soups and the chili are homemade and the tomato basil soup was a creamy delight.
I tried the really tasty chicken pesto panini and sampled bites of the Solana Beach burger, which is a half-pound of high-quality Angus beef on a buttered and grilled sesame seed bun. I was immediately trying to negotiate a half panini for half burger trade with my friend but settled for a quarter. It was a very solid burger.
Of course there is a huge sandwich selection, including a Reuben I’ve heard is very solid. There are 10 nice looking salads, melts, tacos and burritos, and a huge selection of side orders.
I counted 35 side order options. This is one of those places you can come with a large group and there really will be something for everyone including beer, wine and all the coffee drinks you can imagine.
Like I said, it’s always busy but there is never a long wait. The Broken Yolk is a solid crowd pleaser for breakfast and lunch. It is located at 7670 El Camino Real in La Costa.
Check out the full menu at thebrokenyolkcafe.com.