My brother’s going on a one-month trip to the Philippines this month, so he’s been working a side gig on the weekends to earn some extra money before he goes. It’s at a thing called a pop-up, which is like a restaurant that takes over another restaurant for a short time. This one’s called Friends With Benedicts, and Connor Claire, El Hub and I went for brunch (complete with mimosas) Sunday morning.
It was delicious!
The pop-up is at Mykonos Greek Restaurant at 1431 Polk St. in San Francisco, easy walking distance from one of the cable car lines, and they’re open on Saturdays and Sundays.
Basically, in the pop-up idea, the pop-up crew — the cooks, the wait staff, the kitchen helpers and the manager — visit and temporarily take over the other restaurant for the day, so the parent restaurant (Mykonos Greek Restaurant, in this case) is closed. It’s just the pop-up that’s open.
It was like visiting somebody’s house and them make great food for you, like classic breakfast/brunch dishes with scrambled eggs, eggs benedict, pancakes, etc., and some weekends they’ll do brunch specials with a twist, like an eggs benedict with beet-infused hollandaise sauce, or themed brunches (they did one based on old-school breakfast cereals, another one called That ’70s Brunch, and another one inspired by The Jungle Book), so they have fun with the idea, too. It’s not stuffy or formal.
Everyone was friendly and down to earth, unlike some brunch spots or restaurants where you’re ushered in and out. This didn’t feel like that at all. The cooks and greeters and wait staff (and the bartender, who made a damn fine mimosa, BTW) were incredibly friendly.
El Hub had a baked croque madam (brioche pain de mie with grated cheese and slightly peppered ham topped with a fried egg and hollandaise sauce; served with fruit), and I had the banana pancakes, which I ended up only eating half of because Connor decided to mooch off mommy’s breakfast, which was fine.
Both of us thought it was delish!
If you ever find yourself hungry for good food and friendliness in the city on a Saturday or Sunday morning, you should go. Maybe we’ll see you there. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
It has been ages since I went for brunch. Pancakes sound amazing!
Pop up brunch sounds like a lot of fun!
Looks delish! Although sometimse I wish they made adult pacifiers; would cut down on calories LOL. But what a great idea, pop up restaurant.
Sounds like an awesome trip for your bro. I never spent extended time in the Motherland. It would be cool to take my Austrian el Hub there one day, since I’ve spent much more time in Vienna and the Austrian countryside than in the PI. 🙁 One day. I also want to take him to SF, too.
I want an adult pacifier to sooth me when I’m feeling anxious. If it was acceptable to roll around with one of those I totally would, LOL!
Were you born here on in the PI? I was born there but came over when I was little. I went back there with my mom for an extended trip when I was 23, and I would love to go back with my hubs and Connor. I’ll probably have to wait until she’s a little older though… I can’t imagine being on a plane for that long with a toddler, OMG!
If/when you go to SF email me! I would love to meet you.
Pacifier would definitely be better than teeth grinding, too, which anxiety causes me to do during sleep. I think I’ve seen adult versions all studded with rhinestones and stuff. I would if I had the balls, but then if I had the balls, I wouldn’t be anxious haha…
I was born in L.A. My mom came to L.A. in ’70 and brought everyone else over. Before I moved to Hawaii, I always felt like the only Filipino in Philly (Phillypino lol). Totally loving that there are so many in Honolulu. 🙂
oh mah gah *fans self* I would definitely be in touch if/when we make it out to SF!
Okay, see, what I read was “Friends with Benedict” and I’m thinking “OMG, brunch with Benedict Cumberbatch!!!” I was so about to be on a plane for San Fransisco. And now I’m just sitting here dreaming about banana pancakes with Sherlock.
HAHAHA!!!! Wouldn’t that be a brunch to remember! I wonder if he’d have tea or coffee with his brunch, hmm…
The food looks yummy! I love breakfast food and brunch. Dear Husband does not like eating breakfast out or going to brunch. Sigh. I need to find a brunch buddy!!
WHAT? How can you not love going to brunch?! I would be your Sunday brunch buddy if we lived closer.
You know what I also love on a weekend morning? Dim sum. YUMMY!
Oh gosh, I love dim sum. I haven’t had any in ages. Another food DH does not like. The thing about DH is 1) he has the taste buds of a picky 5 year old boy. 2) he does not like spending money on something he thinks I can make at home 3) he does not like lazy, lingering meals. He’s all business, get in, get the food, eat it and get out. It drove him batty when we lived in Europe and he had to work in France and Italy. He just doesn’t like a two hour+ meal. He’s just not food driven. Eats to live, where I live to eat!
I had a co-worker like this! His MIL was from Peru/Spain (he’s from Western PA) and she (and her daughter) would love to sit and chit chat about the food, while he just wanted to eat for sustenance and leave. Not into exotic foods and perfectly happy with burger and fries. It’s a funny dude archetype. 😉
Yup. Dear Husband is perfectly happy with peanut butter on a piece of toast. Sigh.
I am able to get him to eat a salad and vegetables when I make them, he just doesn’t go out of his way to order them in restaurants.
I love hollandaise so much… being allergic to egg SUCKS.
Omnomnom!
Also, more Connor Claire pics, please, moaaaaaaaaaaaaar! 🙂
You’re probably tired of hearing this, but Connor is so darned adorable, it’s almost ridiculous. 🙂
Also, I was 99.9% sure that was El Hub’s breakfast when I saw the pic. His choices usually look like mine.
I hope your bro has a fabulous time on his trip!!