Travelling is a luxury that many people cannot do as often as they would like, but Bozeman PopUp, an unique restaurant concept that is new to the area allows you to explore the world through your taste buds. Chef Kryssa Bowman modeled her PopUp restaurant concept on several new trends appearing in cities like San Francisco, New York, Denver, and beyond.
The concept in other areas is usually by invitation only and the chef builds a following, but since we are a more rural area, Bozeman PopUp is available to anyone. Advanced ticket purchase is required to ensure accurate amounts of food are prepared without excessive waste. Chef Kryssa also likes the opportunity to connect and interact with her guests and build a relationship, advance reservations help promote the connection.

Inspired by the recession and the Speakeasy’s of the past, Bozeman PopUp rents out local kitchens when the business is normally closed and provides a unique dining experience. The concept helps boost income for the kitchen owner and gives ‘displaced’ chefs a place to cook for a night or two. The Speakeasy is reflected in the ever-changing location, though nothing illegal is occurring, if you don’t know where and when, you will miss your chance.

Not wanting to compete with already existing restaurants and wanting to try new challenges, Chef Kryssa is offering cuisines from around the world. Indian and Ethiopian foods have already been spotlighted. Yet the PopUps are an event, not just a meal. The décor and live entertainment add ambiance that reflects the origins of the featured cuisine. Chef Kryssa and her team want the night to be a memorable experience, not just another dinner out.

The next flash food experience is Cruisin’ Caribbean Cuisines on May 14th. The menu will take you on a virtual cruise around the Caribbean islands, without ever leaving Bozeman, so leave your passport at home.

Check out this deliciously tropical menu served outdoors, weather permitting!
1. Croquettes de Carne de Cerdo:
An appetizer of seasoned pork filled croquettes from the Dominican Republic

2. Tostones Rellenos de Picadillo:
Hors d’oeuvres of savory beef filled plantain cups topped with cheese and fresh tomatoes from Puerto Rico

3. Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken:
Spicy hot habenero pepper marinade and spice rubbed chicken will bang on your taste buds like a fiery steel drum!

4. Steamed Fish with Coo-Coo from Barbados:
Briefly marinated tilapia in lime and salt, then encrusted with Bajan Green Seasoning just before rolling and steaming. Served with Coo-Coo, an okra and cornmeal cake.

5. Game Hens with Cashews:
Halved Marinated, Browned Game Hens served with Cashews and “pikliz”, a combination of spicy-sour pickled vegetables from Haiti.
6. Moros y Cristianos:
Cuban dish of black beans and rice cooked together in a savory, delicious sauce and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil just before serving
7. Yaniqueques; Antiguan Fried Tortillas:
While these may hail from Antigua they are consumed throughout the Caribbean as a side to almost any dish.

8. Haitian Fried Bananas with a Tamarind-Apricot Sauce served with Sweet Queso Blanco

This PopUp with take place at 131 West Main St (formerly 18 Miles to the Border). Tickets are $38.00 and available at www.bozemanpopup.com. There will be a cash bar as well as LIVE REGGAE AND ISLAND MUSIC!

Future events are in the works as well, but if you are looking for a special way to celebrate the 4th of July, Bozeman PopUp is offering you the chance to experience a New Orleans style Cajun Crawfish Boil. Tickets for NOLA at de SOLA can be purchased for $34.00 each and are already available on the website.

One of the added bonuses to the Bozeman PopUp experience is that each event features an opportunity to highlight and sponsor a charitable program that relates to the cuisine or a local need. “Nova-Bati”, the Ethiopian dinner supported building cancer hospitals in Ethiopia. Cruisin’ Caribbean Cuisines will be helping the Red Cross in Haiti. NOLA at de SOLA will be helping deserving local children attend Camp Equinox this summer on scholarships, and donations will also be accepted for Habitat for Humanity’s Katrina builds.

Events are in the works, though tickets are not yet available for an Argentinian Asado on August 13th at the Rockin TJ Ranch and on September 10th there will be a Sustainable Table event feature food available in and around the area, with nothing except the salt and pepper coming from further than 100 miles away from Bozeman.

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of these one time dining experiences. Visit the website www.bozemanpopup.com or stay in the know as a follower on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bozeman.popup so you will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for all the PopUps wherever and whenever they may appear. The Facebook page is interactive and Chef Kryssa welcomes comments and strives to make each event better than the last by listening to what the guests have to say. It is risky to do a new and different menu each time, but Chef Kryssa enjoys the challenge and does tons of research prior to each event to ensure she creates it as authentic as possible. She has had MSU students from India and Ethiopia help her design the recipes and create the décor in addition to her own research for the previous PopUps.

Upon request, the website also offers a storefront of items used at the events, such as the Jebena, an Ethiopian clay coffee pot, spices, and recipe collections from each dinner, so you can recreate the tastes for yourself.

Chef Kryssa hopes this idea will spread and other displaced chefs and restaurant owners will join it or start their own PopUps here or in other areas, like Livingston, Big Sky and beyond.

Lee Strickler is a freelance writer and network marketing professional, working on her MFA in Creative Writing through the University of New Orleans, residing in Bozeman with her family.