"It only makes sense that a brunch restaurant seemingly lifted out of a hip Ho Chi Minh City neighborhood landed in Fountain Valley, a majority Vietnamese American city near Orange County's Little Saigon, its tables tetrised with mandarin tequila cocktails and Vietnamese coffee topped with egg foam. Nep Cafe, from the prolific Kei Concepts group, grew from a pop-up to a bustling brunch destination with as many colorful beverages as it has fried egg dishes."
"The coconut ube with ube cream is a mid-morning stunner with a nutty, fragrant finish. Soft-scrambled eggs settle under a mound of lump crab dusted with Cajun seasoning - pile them in spoonfuls over tiny toast points. (You'll likely have to ask for extra because three slices aren't enough.) On a sizzling iron skillet, chunks of tender filet mignon or beef belly come coated in a luc lac-style peppercorn sauce that's savory, sticky, and slightly sweet."
"Seafood tom kha melds the lemongrass tartness of the Thai soup with a creamy, savory pasta. Shrimp, squid, and scallop bring shellfish depth while dried chile adds a simmering heat. Typically, restaurants this popular don't take reservations, but Nep Cafe does on OpenTable for both its original Fountain Valley and newer Irvine location. The tables near the glass wall are bathed in soft light that not only gives an almost cinematic level of brightness but also makes for the best food photos."
Nep Cafe began as a pop-up and became a busy brunch destination in Fountain Valley with a newer Irvine outpost. The menu swaps pancakes for pan-fried noodles, cast-iron tender beef belly, luc lac-style skillet steaks, and mango sticky rice desserts. Beverage offerings focus on cream-topped iced coffees, notably a coconut ube with ube cream described as nutty and fragrant. Small plates include soft-scrambled eggs topped with Cajun-dusted lump crab. A seafood tom kha blends lemongrass tartness with creamy pasta and shellfish. Reservations are available on OpenTable, and tables near the glass wall receive strong natural light.
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