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.