It was a rainy, blustery Saturday late morning when we wandered over to Washington Boulevard to try out the Breakaway Cafe. More accurately, we drove over. Few people were out wandering anywhere on that particularly wet day, as Spring chose to remind us that it can pack a punch when it wants to.
“Brothers and co-founders Zach and Nick Bayse launched Breakaway Cafe, an eatery and local hang, with the shared passion of connecting with people through good food and coffee,” they tell us on their website. “Utilizing seasonal ingredients with global cooking techniques, they create a wide range of offerings and fun, unforgettable flavors. Nick has worked as a chef in multiple Michelin-star restaurants in New York City, and he aims to bring these elevated techniques into every aspect of the food at Breakaway Cafe. Breakaway Cafe is all about delivering high-quality food and service for each and every one of our customers. Come by and say hi!”
Before we get onto the food, we have to talk about the Cinnamon-Spiced Hot Chocolate, which we couldn’t resist given the aforementioned weather. We drank this in the car on the way home, while it was still piping hot. The rich chocolate paired so well with the cinnamon that it left us wondering why more places don’t put cinnamon in their hot chocolate as a matter of course. It’s as much of a no-brainer as marshmallows and whipped cream (and peppermint schnapps at Christmas).
Every sip was a decadent, comforting, delicious treat – this is not your average cocoa, and it should be handled with care because it could be addictive.
As we were in the brunch zone, we opted for Breakaway’s Breakfast Burrito – scrambled eggs, crispy potatoes, cheddar, sour cream, and a side of salsa verde. There was the option of adding bacon, but we decided against it on this occasion, as there was already plenty going on in there.
The portion and proportions were spot-on. The eggs made up the bulk of the filling, keeping it light enough to not weigh you down too much. Still, the potatoes are crispy as advertised, and they add plenty of flavor as does the cheese. The salsa and sour cream ties it all together, and the soft tortilla is the perfect casing.
Mind you, it’s the hot chocolate that we were dreaming about later.
The Breakaway Cafe is located at 8686 Washington Blvd., Culver City 90232. Contact 310-492-2608 and visit breakawaycafela.com.