A SAN FRANCISCO BRUNCH GUIDE

As a brunch enthusiast, I was excited to experience the brunch scene in San Francisco before I moved from Philly. In the year and a half that I’ve lived in SF, I accumulated some must-go brunch spots to share with the community. Check them out!

KITCHEN STORY

Location: 3499 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

One of the most popular brunch spots in SF, Kitchen Story wins by offering unique and colorful brunch selections. Most of the dishes come with the choice of potatoes medley or fruit on the side. Kitchen Story is known for its Millionaire’s Bacon–a thick cut of bacon covered with sugar, cayenne and other spices before it is slow baked at low temperature for many hours. It’s the best kind of bacon.

Tip: They do not take weekend brunch reservations so go early to stay in line!

SWEET MAPLE

Location: 2101 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Sweet Maple is a sister restaurant of Kitchen Story. They are operated by the same owner, hence they both serve the Millionaire’s Bacon. “The taste is succulent, sweet and spicy with many different spices going in. It’s very complex,” said Hoyul Steven Choi, co-owner of Sweet Maple and several other restaurants that serve the dish across the Bay Area. (Source: SFGATE)

Tip: This place does not take reservation so go early to stay in line! Opt for outdoor seating for shorter lines.

surisan

Location: 505 Beach St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Surisan is a modern Korean-American fusion restaurant also owned by Steven Choi, hence the Millionaire’s Bacon is also offered in some of the dishes. Their menu is extensive–typical American brunch with some Korean brunch options. Brunch/Breakfast food is served till 3pm on weekends. As for drinks, they offer bottomless mimosas, which are capped at 90 minutes. They also serve coffee and matcha.

Tip: Skip the long wait, reserve your table on Yelp!

Cracked & Battered

Location: 1434 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94107

Cracked & Battered is a "neighborhood restaurant" located in Potrero Hill specializing in fried chicken & waffles. I often opt for the Breakfast Waffle Plate; it consists of waffle, fried chicken, eggs and potatoes… everything that you look for in a breakfast dish. They also offer mimosas for $6 per glass, a rare find in SF.

What I like most about this place is the service. Servers and the owner are extremely friendly and make sure you are enjoying your meal.

Tip: Join their wait list through Yelp before you head to the restaurant.

PLOW

Location: 1299 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94107

Known for their delicious Honey Biscuit, Plow is a farm-to-table American comfort food restaurant that attracts long lines on the weekends. I usually get “The Plow” whenever I visit. The dish has 2 mini lemon ricotta pancakes, eggs and meat of your choice along with crispy potatoes. If you are with a group, the Honey Biscuit is great for splitting.

Tip: 10am-11am is a good time to put your name down as the restaurant gets extra crowded around noon.

LAPISARA EATERY

Location: 698 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Another brunch place that serves delicious chicken & waffles! Lapisara Eatery is a chic restaurant that serves American classics plus a few Thai dinner dishes. Highly recommend any dish with fried chicken–they have the chicken right! The drink menu is also plentiful, serving alcoholic drinks and coffee such as Thai tea lattes and bottomless mimosas for $20.

Tip: They do not take reservations but lines go fast.

MYMY

Location: 1500 California St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Last but not least, Mymy is one of the first brunch spots I tried when I first moved to SF. Mymy serves classic American brunch. Their potatoes are on the crispier side which I love! One of the most popular drinks there is the fresh squeeze orange juice. It’s naturally sweet and you can most definitely taste the freshness of the juice. You’ve gotta get a glass when you go!

Tip: If the weather is nice, ask to be seated outside so your wait time is shorter.

MY 2019 RECAP

If there was a theme to my 2019, it would be “#DoingThings”—the motto of one of my favorite brands, Outdoor Voices. #DoingThings to them means “moving your body and having fun with friends” and my 2019 was the epitome of that. This year was filled with weekend getaways. I was on the plane for quite a few times traveling across the country. Ever since moving to the West Coast I have had the opportunities to travel to nearby states, creating memories and #DoingThings with friends. Here are some highlights from a fulfilling year:

SPOTIFY WRAPPED

What’s a recap without posting my Spotify Wrapped of 2019? My Top Artist of 2019 is ODESZA and Artist of the Decade is The 1975. *pretends to be shocked*

LOS ANGELES

My coworker Anna and I took a week off to travel to LA. It was my first time in SoCal! Despite the unfortunate rain the whole time we were there, I had a great time checking out some iconic LA touristy spots and catching up with 2 of my college friends.

SANTA CRUZ

In April, I visited Santa Cruz for the first time for a weekend getaway. I soaked up some California sun while witnessing one of the most mesmerizing sunsets. This is now my go-to weekend getaway town.

I turned 23!

To celebrate my Jordan Year, I took a weekend road trip down to Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Big Sur with two of my closest friends Julia and Joe. If only words could describe how magnificent the Pacific Ocean is… The feeling driving along the curvy mountains with windows down and our favorite tracks blasting from the radio along PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) is indescribable. Shout out to my lovely coworkers who decorated my desk inspired by The Office, you know me too well.

Sf trolley party

My lovely friend/coworker Rishika hosted her birthday bash on a trolley back in June! I’ve always wanted to do this while I still live in SF. All of us were singing our hearts out along the Golden Gate Bridge during sunset. It was a day to remember.

LAKE TAHOE

I took a weekend trip to Lake Tahoe back in January, however I did not partake in skiing or outdoor sports. This time around it was summer. Joe and I, along with 2 others, drove up to Lake Tahoe to celebrate July 4. I lived up to the #DoingThings motto: moving your body and having fun with friends. The photos below speak for themselves.

SOLO TRIP TO SEATTLE

See https://www.minakwong.com/blog/solo-in-seattle.

ODESZA

To be honest, I was not particularly a huge fan of EDM music in college. Yes, I listened to EDM here and there but I didn’t pay much attention to the scene. Though ever since moving to the Bay Area, I’ve grown to love ODESZA and many other EDM artists. ODESZA’s music gives me euphoric and magical feelings–always putting me in a happy mood. Seeing their act live in LA back in July was without a doubt one of the highs of this year.

PHOENIX

Second time around in Arizona to visit my dear friends Marlon and Alnay! August in Phoenix was unbelievably HOT. But we were out and about #DoingThings in places such as Slide Rock State Park, Superstition Mountains and Old Town. Can’t wait to be back already!

VISTA LAS VEGAS

Celebrated my friend Katie’s 23rd birthday in Vegas! It was my first time in LV and boy did I have a great time. It was a cherry on top when my triplet best friends were also in town. Checked Kygo off my bucket list!

MUSIC FESTIVALS

Happy to check off Outside Lands and Austin City Limits from my festival checklist. I saw the god himself Hozier and Childish Gambino at OSL. In September I flew out to Austin to visit my best friend Julia and also to attend ACL. We somehow got backstage access to see Fisher’s set! We also saw LIZZO, Mumford and Sons and other amazing acts. I was freezing cold during OSL but dripping sweat at ACL. Weather is weird.

GETTING FEATURED ON IG

As an aspiring photographer, being recognized and featured from well-known Instagram accounts means a lot to me as it grows my confidence. Below are some posts that I have been featured in 2019. Many thanks to them!

I RAN A 5K!

Running a 5k may not seem much to some people but it was a huge accomplishment for me. I signed up one day on a whim and did not regret one bit. That was the most I’ve ran consistently. Running a little over 3 miles wasn’t too bad when the Golden Gate Bridge was my view! Shout out to Josh for waking up with me at the crack of dawn just to support me :) My goal is to attempt a 10k next year.

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY

Josh and I drove down to the Monterey area for a mini Holiday getaway. We lucked out with the weather, as it was absolutely beautiful along Pacific Coast Highway. The first day we visited Pebble Beach to see the 18th hole, saw a lot of cute pups and did the 17 mile drive. The second day we saw some adorable sea otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and hiked Point Lobos. The last day we enjoyed a fancy lunch at La Bicyclette. A great way to end the year :)

In retrospect, 2019 was good to me. I’ve grown a lot personally. I’ve traveled to states that I never imagined I would visit. I’ve built stronger relationships with friends who I care deeply about. And lastly, I’ve met someone special who I look forward to creating new memories with. Here’s to hoping 2020 to be just as great as this year by #Doing(more)Things.

ADULTING?

“Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.” — Mary Schmich 

This quote came from an odd yet nostalgic music video “Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen” my friend Erica suggested me to watch. It derived from Mary Schmich’s book Wear Sunscreen: A Primer for Real Life. Though I only lived in New York briefly for a year and a half after I immigrated from Hong Kong, I could easily differentiate the lifestyle between “The City that Never Sleeps” and Northern California. And yes, California does have the ability to make you soft. 

Here’s what I learned in 3 months post-grad, the two things that almost everyone has in common in San Francisco are tech and yoga. Oh, and no one says “San Fran” here, please say SF when you come visit.

3 months into “adulting” made me feel like I’ve been working in San Francisco for 2 years instead of 2 months. I work 8am-5pm; my daily routine is wake up, work, go to Barry’s/Corepower Yoga to workout, occasionally attend happy hours, go home, make dinner, sleep and repeat. On the weekends I do a variety of things depending on what my friends are up to. And by friends I mean my coworkers because we see each other basically 24/7. 

Frankly, before moving here, I never had to worry about making more connections in a new city, paying rents, dealing with health care, 401K and stocks (I still don’t know how any of this works). I seldom call my mother because there are days where I am confused about everything and I only want to talk to her when I have my sh*t together. (Sorry mom, I’ll work on that.) There are also days where I feel homesick. The hardest part that I am still coping with is not having your closest friends right down the block from you—to share how your day went or someone to talk to when you feel low. However, I am confident that my personality will eventually allow me to overcome this feeling when I make more connections in the city. 

To keep myself busy, I’ve discovered some places in SF that I like to visit on the weekends. First, Philz Coffee. Philz is my go-to coffee shop and undoubtedly the place I frequent the most. Nothing beats an Iced Mint Mojito and a breakfast burrito on a Sunday morning while hungover (unfortunately I frequent this place the most after a night of having too much fun).

Second, Presidio of San Francisco. For $5, I can take an Uber to see the most breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean alongside the Golden Gate Bridge. This is one of the moments where I think, “Wow, I’ve made it. I’m here.”

Lastly, Mission Dolores Park. This is the closest thing I have to “summer” where I can wear a dress or shorts and keep my summer tan. Hundreds of kids and adults spend time at the park on the weekends. You can find some great tunes, great weather and great alcoholic drinks offered to you by sellers who take Venmo. It’s a place where time doesn’t seem to exist until dusk hits to tell you it’s time to head home. 

To all my closest friends that have helped me when I don’t feel my best or am having a rough week, I am so grateful to have you in my life. You make it easy when I am still adjusting to the city.

Quite frankly, there isn’t much purpose to this blog post except for me to show you what I’ve been up to in Northern California. I am starting to love this city and its people. I don’t know what my future holds just yet but I know it’s time to grab my camera and do some more exploring. It’s rather difficult when you have a full-time job but photography is forever my passion. And who knows? Maybe I will finally figure out how stocks work along the way. 

THE ONE WHERE I MOVED CROSS COUNTRY

Half a year ago I was binge watching “Silicon Valley” from an unreliable website because I have always been interested in working in tech one day. Little did I know I would actually make it after college. 

Moving across the country, to San Francisco specifically, wasn’t easy. Was I nervous? A little. Was I excited? Absolutely yes.

Almost 1 month has passed and I still have the same excitement as I did the day I got on the plane. Though social media posts may tell you that I am having the best time of my life, there are times I feel lost and lonely. Being in a completely foreign city and knowing just a few acquaintances can be scary, but thankfully the pace of life here picked up after I met my roommates, coworkers and a few awesome people I am happy to call friends. I can’t express how lucky I am to have landed a perfect job, met the sweetest roommates all while living in one of the most beautiful cities. 

Currently I am living in the Mission District. It’s perfect for me because everything is close by—bars, shops, restaurants and coffee shops etc. For the past few weeks I’ve been trying to explore different districts while working full time. I work with a team of 7 where all of them are fun, intelligent and dedicated. I am incredibly lucky to be part of the Adobe family.

I visited one of the most beautiful places in San Francisco called Lands End the past weekend. Staring at the magnificent Pacific Ocean makes me realize how fortunate I am to be able to pursue the things I want to do in life. 

I am writing this post so you can understand how it feels to be away from all your closest friends and family back home. That was the hardest part. For 4 years I have lived and breathed in Philadelphia. That was, and still is, a place I call home. I am not afraid of change but leaving my fondest memories at a place I love wasn't easy. Being in a city that you don’t know East or West is frightening sometimes, but I am here for a reason and I am excited to have this chance to explore a new city. 

A close friend once told me, “Be honest and fearless, always be smart and strong. I know you are capable of amazing things, never sell yourself short.” I still live by this everyday. With this, I encourage anyone who is reading this to take a chance sometimes. Another close friend of mine is moving to Phoenix from Philly and I admire his courage to just go without knowing the next steps. You may never know until you try. And to the City of Brotherly Love, I shall be back very soon. 

THE GOLDEN STATE

"If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair..."

It's been 11 years since I last stepped foot in the Golden State. I was fortunate enough to visit San Francisco with my dad when I was 10 for his business trip. Pieces of memory from that trip still come back to me once a while. Now, as a student who will soon devote her whole life working full time, I knew I had to travel somewhere. Thus, the nostalgic memories of the warm air in California brought me and my mom back to San Francisco. 

It's a blessing to have family members live across the country—even the world. I stayed with my great uncle and aunt while I was there. As I walked out of the house the afternoon after I landed, I was welcomed by a beautiful breeze under a 60 degrees weather. For a second I thought summer came early. I absolutely despise the cold on the East Coast during winter. I could move to California just for the sake of the weather. 

The whole purpose of the trip was to visit my relatives; however, it wouldn't be a successful trip if I didn't visit a place on my bucket list: the Golden Gate Bridge. After an hour drive, a postcard-looking scenery was presented in front of me. As I imagined, that place was filled with tourists. The blue sky made a beautiful contrast from the red bridge. The weather could not have been more perfect that day. It was an eye-opening experience overall. Crossing this off my bucket list. 

Now, would it be a trip to California without trying THE famous In-N-Out burger for the first time? Fortunately there was one around the corner from where I stayed. I made a trip there when they just opened at 10:30am (never too early for a good burger). My verdict? It was definitely worth the hype and Instagram worthy; however, nothing beats Mickie D's fries in my opinion. 

For the remaining part of the trip, I caught up with some other family members that I had yet to meet. We went shopping in several places including Santana Row, an outdoor shopping area filled with gorgeous Christmas lights. We also went to "Christmas in a Park" in downtown San Jose, which is equivalent to the Christmas Village in Philly. On another note:  I was blessed to have a great uncle who knows how to cook—my mom and I enjoyed great meals every single day. 

As I am writing this, I am buried under my blankets in the horrendous blizzard. I'm already missing the warm winter in California. My trip was undoubtedly an enjoyable experience. Until my future visit to Los Angeles, I'm back to the brutal cold.