You wouldn’t expect fantastic pizza at an old hardware store on the banks of the Sacramento River, but Matt Brown knows better. His restaurant, Husick’s by Forester, is a gem.
Just a few minutes off Interstate 5, Husick’s is from another place and time. Opened more than a century ago as a hardware store in Clarksburg, the site is now a dining destination for wine tasters, boaters and Delta locals. In easy traffic, it’s about a 20-minute drive from Downtown.
Chef Brown worked in several local kitchens, and each stop brought more praise than the last. He cooked at Hook & Ladder, created the food program at The Jungle Bird tiki lounge and drove the exceptional kitchen at The Golden Bear. Plaudits followed.
His last stop was as a founder at Bodega Kitchen & Cocktails. He put together one of the most exciting local menus, much to his satisfaction. But a new project beckoned.
“I’d been looking for my own restaurant for a while, and when this opportunity came to me, I couldn’t turn it down,” Brown says.
Opened last September, Husick’s quickly showed the Brown touch. The large dining room and small open kitchen were a little funky. Previous owners installed pizza ovens in the quirky space. Brown decided to make the riverside restaurant a pizza destination.
“I really believe you have to work with your space,” he tells me. “Whether it’s the local produce, the equipment or the dining room.”
Brown makes fine use of those pizza ovens. Hand-pulled dough leaves the oven teetering between crispy and fluffy. Each pie is big enough for two or three diners.
The standout for me is the “Forester.” It’s a sophisticated combination of roasted red potato, rosemary, caramelized onions, chevre, mozzarella, confit garlic and fresh arugula after baking. But that’s not all.
“I’ve got to consider the locals in everything I do,” Brown says. “We’re doing a lot more than just pizza. I don’t want anyone to get pizza’ed out.”
Lunch sandwiches alone are worth the visit. Every sandwich arrives on focaccia bread made daily.
The steak sandwich is more Italian beef than classic steak, with giardiniera (pepper relish) and provolone. The muffaletta is a taste of New Orleans with wine country upgrades including country pate and house-made aioli.
For me, the sandwich highlight is the “Ham ’n’ Jam,” a gorgeous combo of Black Forest ham, provolone and seasonal jam. On my last visit the jam was an incredible cranberry and fig concoction on pillowy focaccia.
Dinner menus include a beautiful hanger steak and chicken cassoulet, plus weekly specials. The wine and beer lists are hyper-local. Craig Haarmeyer’s local chenin blanc is on the list, along with other Clarksburg names such as Bogle, Lambeth, Silt and Heringer.
And there’s more to come.
“I feel like we’re barely at level one,” Brown says. “I’m hoping to expand our offerings in a number of ways.”
Expansions could include picnic items for boaters and wine tasters. Or a pizza patio with an external oven for large groups. More live music and a full bar could happen.
I have a feeling Matt Brown is just starting. Whatever his next steps, local diners will benefit.
Husick’s by Forester is at 36510 Riverview Drive, Clarksburg; (916) 917-4701; husicksbyforester.com.
Greg Sabin can be reached at saceats@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
