STREET BEAT

Surf’s up on Union Street

You may remember Cyrus Saataz from his KNBR days; he was a kooky on-air guy who made us not take sports so seriously. Well, now he has brought that same free spirit and the fun-loving surf culture to Union Street in the old Three Bags Full location – though Clyde will deeply miss Linda and Bernard Faber who were very community minded and raised money for victims of the Haitian earthquake. SF Surf Company (2181 Union Street at Fillmore, 415-440-SURF, www.SFSurfcompany.com) is a welcome addition to 94123 and opened earlier than its mid-November projection. The shop provides surf clothes, boards, books, artwork, and even surf reports to our neighborhood.



SF Surf Company's Cyrus Saataz
says, "Let's go surfin' now"

Cyrus is from northern California, and has been surfing for 15 years, and loves that there are so many surf spots around here. He also loves Union Street’s entrepreneurial spirit, family-owned stores and boutiques. He’s not a fan of huge corporations and feels the economic recovery will be on the backs of small business to create jobs and commerce. Amen, Cyrus.

Cyrus has done his homework, and almost opened in Carmel until an established surf retailer was about to open across from where he was going to set up shop. We’re glad to have him here in 94123. “More men than ever are learning how to surf,” says the well-schooled entrepreneur, “and the Marina is great with Fort Point just a few minutes from here.” So, Cyrus is selling the whole surf culture here in Cow Hollow with an array of items not found in most surf shops. His boards are shaped or made by Jeff Clark, who he says “discovered Mavericks and surfed it for 15 years – no one believed him.” Clark was one of the founders of the world-famous Maverick’s surf contest. Clyde’s guess is that Clark knows how to make a surfboard, and Cyrus can show you what board to catch a ride on. Now, Duke Kahanamoko Clyde is a huge fan of the sport, and so is Cyrus,
who loves to get on his board and harness nature’s energy.


Fort Point is the Marina's
local surf spot

Clyde and sports scribe Michael Murphy motor-scootered out to Fort Point one windy Friday just to see what Cyrus was talking about, and our local Marina surf spot was packed with shredders who ain’t afraid of no stinkin’ cold water. Or wind. Clyde gawked at some really raw athleticism on the waves and gets the harnessing nature’s energy thing.

So, we now have a living, breathing Beach Boys song known as SF Surf Company in our fair hood. We can cold-water surf and wear our surf gear year-round, and luckily we have a cat like Cyrus here to help us along. About surfing, he will teach you to love it like he does.



CAESAR’S STILL GOING STRONG

 



Clyde hearts Caesar's!

Clyde met his mom and some old family friends at Caesar’s (2299 Powell Street at Bay, 415-989-6000, www.caesarssf.com) the other night and Signore Clyde was kicking himself for not hitting the venerable eatery more often. Veteran restaurateur Luigi Romani runs the front of the house, and even though Clyde hadn’t been there in forever, Luigi remembered his name. Ouch – Clyde got a bad case of the not-eating-at-Caesar’s-in-a-while guilt, but that just shows all of us what a pro Luigi is.

For those of you who like to spend lots of money on small plates at some trendy place then leave hungry and order Amici’s when you get home, Caesar’s is not for you. Mamasan Clyde’s first recommendation: bring an appetite and don’t fill up on the bread. Then, order the seven-course appetizer with your entree (yes, you weaklings can do a la carte) so delicately and deliciously prepared by master chef Matteo Crivello. He cooks with mom’s care turning out northern and southern Italian dishes, and sprinkles in a little San Francisco. Mangia. Bingo, you’ve got one of Clyde’s favorite munches in town.

First, the antipasti comes out … ah, plates of salami, olives, roasted peppers, cheese … a glass of Chianti never tasted better … then some minestrone … salad … the food just keeps coming and it’s all so tasty! One dinner partner said our tabletop looked like Italy. Oh, yes it did!

Clyde’s pal Jimmy ordered the veal chop special and it looked like a food orgasm. Clyde dug into the veal piccata, which was to die for, while Clyde’s mom had the chicken sec. Even after seven courses of apps, the entrees are huge! Clyde loves Italians! God-knows-I-tried single-guy Clyde had another meal in to-go containers for lunch the next day. We had a great time that night at a place that’s been at it for 50 years and the current owners Luigi and Matteo are “good kids” according to Friend-of-Clyde and Sotto Mare owner Gigi Fiorucci. Clyde concurs.

With the holidays coming up, remember to hit Caesar’s to meet old friends and break bread (but not too much, says Mamasan) and have the pros Luigi and Matteo make your lunch or dinner a thing to remember. Don’t be a stranger like Clyde; Caesar’s is food nirvana at Powell and Bay.

SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED AT ALFRED’S STEAK HOUSE

 


Be sucka-free
with Alfred's Marco Petri

For those of you who ride the rolling coffins – oops, Clyde means Muni – to work downtown, SOMA or the Silicon Valley, don’t let a crummy Thursday get you down. Friend-of-Clyde Marco Petri, owner of Alfred’s Steak House (659 Merchant Street at Kearny, 415-781-7058, www.alfredssteakhouse.com, free validated parking at S.F. Hilton self-park next door), is throwing Sucka-Free Thursdays the second Thursday of every month for a lot of reasons. “We are open Thursdays for lunch, it’s already a long day, and I think it would make sense for us. You could say that I want to showcase Alfred’s as a comfortable and classy drinking house, where people know they don’t have to sell their first child (or Mercedes) for a martini. A Thursday happy hour seems, in the end, much more conducive to most people’s schedules (and drinking habits).”

So Clyde implores you to mark your calendar (or for you geeks, mark your iPhone calendar) for the second Thursday of every month from 4–9 p.m. to be Sucka-Free. Señor Clyde wants to remind you that the hora de feliz will be downstairs in Alfred’s newly refurbished Owl ’n’ Turtle Room, and Marco promises to make it a comfortable and swanky time but not pricey. “There will be good deals all the time.”

James Bond Clyde loves to have a martini once in a while, and isn’t it cool being like the best Bond (yes, that would be Sean Connery) and say, “Shaken not stirred.” Colonialism lives, baby!

Speaking of Alfred’s downstairs, Clyde loves the rooms down there, and if you’re late booking a holiday party, don’t forget to check out Alfred’s reasonable banquet facilities and rates. Marco will cut you a good deal; check out the menu online at Alfred’s website. Let Marco put the happy into the holidays for you and your colleagues.

END YOUR HOLIDAY BLUES AT SOTTO MARE


If these walls could talk –
the speakeasy at Sotto Mare

Friend-of-Clyde Gigi Fiorucci, owner of Sotto Mare (552 Green Street at Columbus, 415-398-3181), has a secret speakeasy banquet room underneath his eatery that brings you back to the North Beach of yesterday – with prices that won’t remind you of today’s crummy economy.

Soto Mare
Score a touchdown with your
holiday party with Sotto Mare
owner Gigi Fiorucci

The Beat-generation-inspired décor is cool and the Gig-meister is very keen on showing off this secret hideaway. “Some members of the San Francisco Fire Department have had a great time here,” Gigi tells Clyde, “and we don’t have a service charge.” If your holiday party planner hasn’t gotten off the stick, or your family wants to have a get together where everyone feels at home but doesn’t have to do the dishes, give Gigi a call. In the true North Beach Beat generation tradition, the maker of the best damn cioppino in San Francisco lets revelers be themselves in his party room that comfortably seats 30 people. 

BRAZEN HEAD BARGAIN

Back here in 94123, don’t forget to hit the Brazen Head (3166 Buchanan Street at Greenwich, 415-921-7600, www.brazenheadsf.com) on Mondays and Tuesdays for a $20.10 slab of prime rib! Owner Eddie Savino knows how to pass on a bargain and value at the place with no sign.

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