When coasting through Oceanside (which was rare for even SD-borne me had traveled to), whatever itinerary you may have already settled, I hope you would save at least an hour break for some bulky food, nestled right along Coast Highway.

Entering from the parking lot’s side, I happened to take a step on the patio, i.e. the opposite side of the main entrance, or the storefront.  Over there every wall and ceiling are washed with beach photography, framed accolades, local memorabilia, and innumerable surfboards at various sizes, from the legitimate to the replicas hanging atop the restaurant waiting room like organized Christmas ornaments.  Virtually as equal as the number of boards are the number of customers devouring their breakfast entrees, lunch items, or both at the same time.

Right away, the encompassing warmth and aroma pierced me.  Easily crumbly with light pressure on my fork, in just one bite and I felt this moist, lightly buttery, soft vanilla, and invigorating cinnamon essence without torturing my gustatory senses like some of those spicy candies of the like.  But I believe the ooze of the sugary glaze might have been the catalyst of my infatuation of this cubed sweet starter of mine.

Amusingly, after one bite of this warm cake, this plate was quickly yet contently served directly in front of me…

Teasing aside, meaty chunks of tasty corned beef provided the superficially charred texture and consistent tenderness, cooperating with the softness of Beach Break Cafe’s home style potatoes while also donning their slight browning, as well as their sweet, gingerly sliced grilled red onions.  Like all traditional corned beefs it had a salty undertone, especially when my appetite was meeting in the middle of the plate.

If a crispier thrill is more of your forte, these choppy, diced potatoes can easily be substituted for their hash browns.  That was certainly my responsibility for not telling my waitress to opt for the other starchy classic I personally preferred.

Additionally, I purposefully asked my evidently fresh eggs to be cooked sunny side up for that glossy, rich, and wickedly delectable yolk to softly cascade on my manly meat and potatoes.

I was planning to save the remaining coffee cake for perhaps the next day’s breakfast.  Strangely, although the sugary level was honestly a tad over the threshold of sugar concentration, I let go of the pre-diabetes fear and ravished it entirely, leaving only the edges since the colder the cake, the harder its cornered texture–and the more hardened that glaze.  Bottom line is that you are absolutely permitted to consume the cake firsthand; really, the only person obstructing the choices of what time to eat this deliciously extravagant indulgence is yourself!

So now, how about placing your surfboard aside and get your teeth grinding at Beach Break Cafe, genuinely displaying their motto “Great Food, Great Friends, Great Service.”  Despite the seemingly antsy environment on Sunday, all the workers considerably checked up on me, ensuring I’m finishing the cake blissfully before a longing siesta.  To find this diurnally run eatery, it is virtually between the bustling Interstate 5 and the rarely thrashing Pacific Ocean.

And if the minuscule parking lot is not in your odds that day, residential parking should be fine, unless you arrived on street sweeping day.

Grade: B-

Beach Break Cafe
1802 S Coast Hwy
Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 439-6355
http://www.beachbreakcafe.net