Street Beat - By Cow Hollow Clyde
Spring into summer!

Watching the sunset from a window table at No. 9 Fishermen’s Grotto (9 Fisherman’s Wharf at Jefferson, 415-673-7025, www.fishermensgrotto.com) with a good friend and a nice bottle of wine while eating surf and turf makes Clyde so glad to live here. There’s something majestic about those springtime sunsets with a cloudless sky, the stately masts of the Balclutha, and the Golden Gate Bridge all drenched in perfect golden hour sunrays. There’s nowhere else like our fair city in the world, and nights at the Grotto make Clyde feel lucky to live here.

Sunset

Sunset at the Grotto Photo by Luisa Rosadas

Clyde wanted to make nice-nice before he slam-slammed. Man-of-the-people Clyde realizes San Franciscans’ aversion to chain or big-box stores. Walmart is the culprit that makes us hate the superstore. Is Clyde mistaken, or didn’t this anti-big-box-store thing start when Walmart wanted to open here? Isn’t it an offshoot of the NIMBY movement? Walmart is bad news, and is a death sentence for mom-and-pops. Has anyone driven across the country lately? Small towns are ghost towns because small merchants can’t compete with the world’s largest retailer. Those idle factories? Yeah, Walmart’s “Buy American” campaign ended decades ago. Most of their merchandise is made in Asia. So Clyde gets it. McDonalds has made our youth obese. The list goes on and on. But American Apparel, a forward-thinking company that fights against overseas slave labor and makes its clothes here, was denied a store in the Mission because of this San Francisco hatred of chain stores. This tells Clyde the hatred of big companies has gone too far.

Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rocket’s Niman Ranch burger

Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rocket’s owner Matt Johnson
and son Brandon

Here’s a news flash: Not all large corporate-owned businesses are the Devil and detrimental to American society. Johnny Rockets is a huge global entity with 250 franchises domestically and internationally, but have you been to the one on Chestnut Street lately? Johnny Rockets’ (2201 Chestnut Street at Pierce, 415-931-6258, www.johnnyrockets.com) franchise owner Matt Johnson rolled his eyes when Clyde brought up our citizenry’s aversion to all big business. “Yes, we are corporate and we have lots of franchises, but that doesn’t mean we don’t give the customer what he wants,” said Johnson. The burgers are made from Niman Ranch beef and are all under 10 clams. All veggies served are organic. Clyde’s boss, Susan Dyer Reynolds, loves the veggie burger, and when Clyde lived in L.A. he was addicted to the egg salad sandwich (it’s made fresh daily and the extra doesn’t sit in a tub overnight). Johnson says it’s a misconception that Rockets can’t engage in quality food production. Johnson also owns other San Francisco franchises and is very, very cognizant of the city’s tastes and trends.

Matt realizes the S.F. palate is sophisticated and we’re in one of the most affluent areas of the City, with a competitive retail environment on Chestnut Street. But Johnny Rockets has survived for 21 years on Chestnut Street because they “give the customers what they want.” And there’s no pretence. What you see is what you get. A Niman Ranch burger for fewer than ten bucks? Hello! Matt Johnson has figured out that consumer demand thing here in the Marina. Clyde caught up with Matt and his son Brandon (who will be 3 in June) at a very busy lunchtime. Clyde asked the owner who his bread and butter customers are. “Families with kids,” he said with a grin, as Brandon climbed on him. The Chestnut location is family owned and really, really caters to families. Clyde even spotted Stanford women’s hoops coach Tara VanDerveer in the crowd, but the 2010 NCAA Championship runner-up legend was busy on her iPhone.

Pomodoro

So long to Pomodoro’s cheap eats and
community support


Real Foods

Real Food cold cuts rock

Michelle Larson and her daughter Lucy were eating next to Clyde during an extremely busy lunch hour filled with families and kids. Michelle described coming to Rockets as a kind of Cheers TV show where everybody knows your name. Server Veronica is on a first name basis with Michelle and Lucy and knows to bring the little one her chicken tenders. Michelle says they have had the same wait staff for years and they know all the regulars. Yeah, Michelle, Rockets sounds like a real heartless, corporate conglomerate that we should throw out of the city… NOT.

It’s sad to see Pomodoro go on Union Street. The food was cheap and good and the management had a big room in the back they gave rent-free to community groups like friend-of-Clyde Bob Bardell’s Golden Gate Valley Neighborhood Association. The Pomodoro corporate brass was reportedly a mess and unfocused but has now been taken over by a bunch of dot-com rich cats. Good luck from Clyde, lads – and think about coming back to Cow Hollow. We all like cheap eats!

Clyde’s Calendar

Anytime you want to picnic, go the deli at The Real Food Company (3060 Fillmore Street at Filbert, 415-567-6900, www.realfoodco.com) where you can get a healthy, organic sandwich for under ten bucks that is stacked Dagwood-style with all kinds of tasty stuff. Clyde’s fave is the roast beef. If you want to make your own, go back to the butcher and Terry Bloom and his staff have an array of deli meats for a fair price. Clyde bought the roast turkey, the Italian ham, and some roast beef for sangos in April for the Stanford scrimmage out at Kezar. Good times, good eats …

May 9, Mother’s Day: Bring mom to the Brazen Head (3166 Buchanan Street at Greenwich, 415-921-7600, www.brazenheadsf.com) for dinner and guess what? Mom eats for free! Owner Eddie Savino knows how to treat a lady!

Uncork
Uncork a nice bottle of red
at Ghirardelli Square’s Uncorked!


Wattlecreek
Wattle Creek Winery’s Ryan Duffy
will be pouring sparkling Shiraz at Uncorked!

May 22, 1–6 p.m: Do any of these wineries do anything for you: Alexander Valley Vineyards, Arrowood Vineyards and Winery, Benovia Winery, Beringer Vineyards, Cellar No. 8, Chateau St. Jean, D & L Carinalli Vineyards, Dutcher Crossing Winery, Etude Wines, Mayacamas Vineyards, Meridian Vineyards, P.S. I Love You, Saddleback Cellars, Sbragia Family Vineyards, Souverain, St. Clement, Stags’ Leap Winery, TAZ Vineyards, Wattle Creek Winery, and Yorkville Cellars? If so, bop on down to Ghirardelli Square’s Uncorked! Wine Festival (900 North Point Beach at Larkin Streets, 415-775-5500, www.ghirardellisq.com) and enjoy some wine in the sunshine. There will be tasting booths located all over the square and Beach Street is closed to the public. It benefits La Cocina (415-824-2729, www.lacocinasf.org), a nonprofit that helps low-income entrepreneurs in the food industry. The Ghirardelli folks know how to put on a good time – hit friend-of-Clyde Scott Broccoli’s The Pub at Ghirardelli Square (851 Beach Street at Larkin, 415-351-0500, www.thepubsf.com) for some really good barbeque to soak up the mass quantities of grape juice!

One tasting booth to check out at Uncorked! is Wattle Creek Winery (Ghirardelli Square next to Kara’s Cupcakes, 415-359-1206, www.wattlecreek.com). Friend-of-Clyde and affable Irishman Ryan Duffy loves the fest. “It’s great for business,” the Wattle Creek sales manager says, “and Ghirardelli Square is becoming a wine-tasting destination between us, Cellar 360 and the Wine Collective.” He also said some lesser-known vintners bring out their best bottles to Uncorked! “The boutique wineries without tasting rooms bring their best varietals and rare wines.” Although the event caters to wine enthusiasts, there are food booths and live bands for the non-wine enthusiasts like Clyde (who calls it red stuff), and as Ryan says, “It’s a good party in a great venue and it’s always sunny.”

Marina Mom
Marina mom Michelle Larson and
daughter Lucy love Rockets

May 31, Memorial Day: Clyde’s dad is buried at the San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio, along with thousands of fallen heroes who died for our freedom. On Memorial Day, join Memorial Day Commemoration organizer Col. Wallace Levin (Ret.) and hundreds of vets and dignitaries at the cemetery to honor and remember America’s soldiers. The parade starts at 10:30 a.m. with the 191st Army Band pipes and drums leading the way. Then, a program of speakers starts at 11 a.m. Think in an election year any politicians will be there? For more information call the Presidio Trust at 415-561-5418 or check it out online at www.presidio.gov/calendar/memorial.

May 31, Memorial Day: Eddie Savino isn’t finished – all vets and active duty military can eat at the Brazen Head for 50 percent off. Our man Eddie is a patriot too.

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