Anaheim: Cafe Casse Croute

Cafe Casse Croute is a tiny, family owned cafe located in a strip mall off Brookhurst and Orange in Anaheim, sharing the same parking lot as In-N-Out Burger and a Stater Brothers market.   This once started off as a French-Canadian restaurant, and then sold in 1990 to 2 Vietnamese sisters who kept as much of the original menu as possible. I have been coming to this tiny restaurant since 2008, and I was surprised that they recently did a remodeling.  The old restaurant reminded me of going to your grandmother’s house, or an auntie, where the walls were powered blue, and papers and things were haphazardly tossed in hidden corners of the restaurant.

The new interior was a great transformation.  Gone was the powder blue and added was a coat of lime green walls, and replacing the vintage glass tables with warm, contemporary tables. The drapes were removed to make this place come alive, and had a cafe feel instead of someone’s home.  I have mixed feelings on the new decor, as the reason I did come was the old decor made me feel like I was at my Grandmother’s or Auntie’s home.  I  know that I don’t need to be in a hurry for breakfast, but with the old decor, I felt I can sit, relax and enjoy time with my friends while eating my breakfast.

Service can be a bit slow, as the food is made to order, and in the order received.  The staff are usually family members, so don’t expect perfect wait service. You probably will need to raise your cup to signal for a fresh refill, you may have to get up and ask for a napkin, and you will hear plenty of chatter in the kitchen as the sisters prepare your meal.

For this visit, I had a bowl of soup and a Croque Madame sandwich: a grilled ham, egg and cheese sandwich, served with house potatoes.  Stephen had the Stuffed French Toast with scrambled eggs and the house made sausage. The portions are not gigantic, but are ample enough so you don’t leave hungry. The food is the epitome of comfort home cooking.  For first timers, I suggest getting the Chef’s Mixed Grill, which is a stuffed french toast, 2 eggs scrambled with ham, crisp bacon, their house made sausage patty, and home potatoes.  The meal also comes with a small juice and coffee for only $10.

This is a hidden neighborhood gem. They are open for breakfast and lunch only, and I believe closed on Mondays now.  They don’t accept reservations, and they can get busy on weekends, particularly after church on Sundays. The restaurant is located at 656 S. Brookhurst Street in Anaheim, California.