The Pancake Experts From Mymy Have a New Brunch Restaurant in the Mission

The team behind Mymy, whose banana soufflé pancakes and eggs Benedict draw weekend brunch lines in Nob Hill, has spread out to the Mission, opening a new business there called Plain Jane. The brunch-focused restaurant from owner Sang Hyuk Lee is now open at 1000 Guerrero Street, a space that was previously home to Hoffman’s Grill and Rotisserie.

Like Mymy, which has operated since 2002, Plain Jane is focused on daytime delights: The menu — not so plain, after all — features sweet breakfasts such as red velvet pancakes (with white chocolate cream, banana, and chocolate chip maple syrup) and custardy pain de mie French toast. Savory items include chilaquiles verde, Dungeness crab eggs Benedict, and sausage and shrimp grits. In the full-on lunch department, there are savory options like a pancetta burger and even lobster and Dungeness crab rolls. To drink, Plain Jane serves obligatory brunch beverages like bloody Marys, glasses and carafes of Mimosas (orange, grapefruit, or mango), plus coffee, espresso, and matcha drinks.

Plain Jane

Plain Jane opened after a remodel of the Hoffman’s space, but the whole thing will need a bit more work this fall: The location, like many other ground floor restaurant and retail spaces in San Francisco, is due for seismic retrofits by 2020.

In fact, it was that looming retrofit that Hoffman’s owners gave as a reason they closed their business in August. The retrofit process can take about a year on average, according to a Department of Building Inspection representative — a very long time to place a business on hold.

Some affected establishments, like tapas spot Esperpento, lean on sister locations during their closure. Others, like Bi-Rite Creamery, get creative: They’ve pulled up an ice cream truck to fill in during the closure of their ice cream shop.

But Sang Hyuk Lee, Plain Jane’s owner, does’t seem worried about that. His landlord plans to complete the retrofit in “30 to 45 days” starting in November, she says.

Maybe it’s best to get those pancakes now: Plain Jane is open daily from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.