ROCQ Cafe - A Local Gem in Lake Forest, CA

I've been driving pass by ROCQ Cafe so many times but never really had any thoughts about giving it a try, until one day my friend suggested having a weekend brunch there last week. 

The minute right after I walked inside the cafe, the place gave me a cozy and welcoming feeling instantly. Well, to tell you the truth, I was mostly blinded by its ordinary green and white signage outside the cafe and would have never expected such a cute design for the interior.

On top of that, being around the neighborhood for quite some time, I know the quality of the restaurants here, sustainable but not outstanding. Therefore my mind just automatically blocked me from trying out most of the eateries around the area.

Brunch is only offered during weekends at ROCQ Cafe. In addition, this place only opens during day time (in case you're thinking about dining here during late hours).

Our seats (so cute)! - 

Menu - 

Inside the menu - 

My friend's fluffy looking coffee - 

Counter area - 

 Eggs benedict with crab cake $11.95 - 

"Crispy potato, roasted tomatoes, hollandaise sauce"

My classic French sandwich croque madame $9.95 - 

"Ham, Swiss cheese, bechamel sauce"

I rarely order croque madame so I'm not really in a good position to determine whether or not ROCQ Cafe did a fine job on this dish. However, I do know that my croque madame was really yummy. The crust was slightly crunchy and together with runny egg yolk created a luscious combo. The bechamel sauce was not over-powering so the savory flavor from the ham still shines through.

Perfect bite -

Besides these two dishes, there were other classic French selections such as coq au vin, crepes, and quiche.

To make our brunch even better - 

We selected one lavender macaron, one pineapple macaron, and a "green" colored vanilla cake - 

My friend said ROCQ usually makes heart shape macarons, but it was around Easter time so they changed to egg shaped macarons, which we did not choose. 

I was never a big fan of macarons until I tried Ladurée, the case still applies today.

Not sure about the coloring of the vanilla cake, which somewhat resembles active fungi. Taste-wise, the cake is decent and moist.

The portion is on the smaller side here at ROCQ Cafe. I felt like I need two orders to fill my appetite. However, I do eat a lot for my first meal of the day. The truth is the food here is not extraordinary awesome but it ain't bad at all. I wasn't overly impressed but the cafe surely proves itself to be one of the best choices around the neighborhood if you're looking for a light meal. And somehow I've been having this urge asking me to come back again. Perhaps the cozy vibe of the place has something to do with it.

Cindy's Review: 6


ROCQ Cafe
22722 Lambert Street
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 916-0722

Monday - Friday
11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday/Sunday
8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Catering service available, check out ROCQ Cafe official website for more details.

Penne with Fennel, Corn, Spicy Sausage, and Ricotta Cheese

Once a while besides the regular pomodoro, alfredo, and pesto sauce for pasta, I'd like to play with other ingredients and see what I can come up with. This time, penne with fennel, corn, spicy sausage, and ricotta cheese -

Ingredients (4 to 5 portion)?

• 1 pack/500 grams/17.6 oz of penne
• 1 pack/450 grams/16 oz of spicy Italian sausage
• 1 box/425 grams/15 oz of ricotta cheese
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 can of sweet corn
• 1 ladle of pasta water
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of fresh dill
• 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried chili flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• Small pinch of dried mixed Italian seasoning

How?

Bring a big pot of water to a boil and pour in about a small handful of salt. Pour in the pasta and give it a quick stir. Cook till al dente in texture, about 11 minutes. Remember to stir it once a while making sure the pasta are not sticking to each other. Once done, remove the penne from the water and set aside for later use. Make sure not to discard the pasta water or try to save a few ladles before pouring it down the sink.

Drizzle enough olive oil to evenly coat the surface in a big pan. Add in diced fennel bulb along with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of red chili flakes. Turn to medium high heat and cook for couple minutes.

Add in smoked paprika and mix it up a bit. Transfer the spicy sausage into the pan. If you can't find sausage meat without the casing, just slice them about 2 mm in thickness instead. Cook for about two minutes then sprinkle some dried Italian seasoning into the mixture.

Add in the corn (drained) along with some freshly chopped dill and ricotta cheese. Let everything cook for a little bit longer. Gently pour the cooked pasta into the mixture and add one or two ladles of pasta water to dilute the sauce. Mix well and garnish the plate with some fresh dill.

Mascarpone was actually my first choice instead of ricotta but somehow couldn't find it at the grocery store. Give mascarpone a try if possible, which should yield an even more luscious and creamy sauce for this recipe.

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