Brok'n Yoke Cafe

It’s tiny, and the kitchen takes up almost half the space. It’s yellow, like the orb for which it’s named. Customers line the counter and cram into barely-big-enough wooden booths; in warm weather they spill out onto picnic benches outside. It’s The Broken Yolk, long a favorite breakfast and lunch place, now under new owners (and sisters), Andrea Castleberry and Doreen Brett.

These two ladies, driven by the fast-paced energy of short-order cookery, have made the place even better. They clearly know their trade. The quality is superior; you’d think their skills had been honed at master classes instead of on the job (for the U.S. Coast Guard, among others).

OK, I can just hear the doubting Thomases: “It’s only breakfast. What can they do to eggs?”

Well, the Eggs Benedict were superb, tasting so fresh they could have come from a henhouse next door. Poached eggs reappeared on a chalkboard special, served over Texas toast criss-crossed with grilled asparagus and napped with creamy, lemon-accented hollandaise sauce.

Eggs “in a window” were baked inside griddled toast, just the way my mother used to do it. Shirred eggs, another treat, came with the whites baked separately from the yolks, topped with melting cheddar cheese and accented with tomatoes and scallions.

On a Sunday morning, we stopped to visit our friends, Hsin-Yi and Chris, just a stone’s throw down the road from the eatery, and they advised us to try the stuffed croissant. I went for the complete package: scrambled eggs, cream cheese, tomatoes, scallions and a whopping amount of smoked salmon. It did the trick.

Toby spied the apricot oat bran muffin, which was awarded our imaginary blue ribbon.
Hats off to Castleberry, who baked it. This could have easily been dessert, but why wait? Regular breads come from one of the best wholesalers in Connecticut, Fabled Foods.

Huevos rancheros at the Broken Yolk are made with delicate, thin corn pancakes (arepas) instead of the more common corn tortillas. Richard’s came arranged as a sunburst around the rim of a lime green plate. Besides the cakes, eggs, refried beans, salsa and a side of sour cream, it — like all breakfast orders — came with good home fried-potatoes.

Three generous buttermilk pancakes, plain or ratcheted up with strawberries, blueberries or chocolate chips, make up one order. We all helped Michael down his.

On another occasion, we enjoyed a special of pumpkin pancakes. Both were quite good, though texturally different. The buttermilk versions had a thick base, the pumpkin light and fluffy.

My husband has been on a long culinary quest for the mythical perfect corned beef hash; almost every time it’s right out of a can, metallic-tasting and not worth the calories. Years ago, at a little breakfast joint in New Orleans, he thought he had come close. A great many forks of hash have been found wanting ever since.

Now, hallelujah! The Broken Yolk has created a corned beef hash even better than that long ago, but now no longer lamented, version in the French Quarter. They make the whole thing, including the beef itself, from scratch. The ingredients are no secret; potatoes, mustard, horseradish, a few onions and garlic are all part of the magic. Taste it for yourself. If you like corned beef hash, my advice is to place a double order immediately, and only then look at the menu. Our only complaint was that the portion is too small for the price.

Indeed, the hash appears to be the only small serving on the menu. Portions otherwise all seem to be quite generous.

At our waitress’ suggestion, and since it was near lunchtime anyway, on one occasion we tried the Reuben panini sandwich. Thick cuts of tender corned beef were nestled into the grilled rye bread, along with melting Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing. Exceptional!

Coffee is a steady refill. The staff is warm and friendly. It’s a great way to start the day.

Joan Gordon writes a restaurant review every Thursday in Go!. E-mail her at joanreviews@gmail.com

IF YOU GO

The Broken Yolk
825 Montauk Ave., New London, 437-0898

• Hours: 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday-Sunday.

• Amenities: Major credit cards accepted. Wheelchair accessible. Separate children’s menu. No reservations.

Prices: Breakfast $1.50-$9; soups, salads $2.50-$8; wraps, sandwiches $7.50-$9.

Rating: **** (Excellent)

In a nutshell: Really good things in a small package. Top-notch breakfasts and lunches. Don’t miss the corned beef hash, Reuben and all the egg dishes. Expect crowds during peak hours.