Food news: Michelin-rated eateries, Hockey Haven, breakfast at Lou’s, new opening at 1801 Clement

A few food and beverage related items from this past week…

Richmond District restaurants rate with Michelin
Congratulations to Aziza (5800 Geary) who maintained their single star rating in the 2011 MICHELIN Guide San Francisco, Bay Area & Wine Country. Michelin’s maximum star rating is 3, and characterizes 1 star as “a very good restaurant in its category”.

Michelin also released a new list of Bib Gourmand picks, aka good eating on a budget. Congratulations are in order for three Clement Street restaurants that each represent different corners of the world – Chapeau! (French), Burma Superstar (Burmese) and Troya (Turkish and Mediterranean).

Irish coffee & steak dinners at the Hockey Haven
The SF Examiner had a brief Q&A with the bartender at Balboa Street’s Hockey Haven, a neighborhood sports bar across from the movie theater. Erin Massey has bartended at the “Ho-Ha” for 9 years where she says she sometimes feels more like a liquid therapist to the tight-knit community that frequents the only bar in the outer blocks of Balboa.

Massey gives high marks to the Haven’s Irish Coffee (“one of the best in town”), made with coffee from Simple Pleasures Cafe up the block. The bar also serves steak dinners on Monday nights during football season. “Jeff ‘The Chef,’ who is a cook at the Cliff House, has been doing it for 12 years. Recently we served our 10,000th steak.” Read the full article

Lou’s Cafe breakfast sandwich “fit for a world-champion appetite”
Lou’s Cafe opened up earlier this year at 5017 Geary near 15th Avenue and they have a reputation for tasty sandwiches and good coffee. SFWeekly spotlighted the cafe’s $4.49 breakfast sandwich with “ham, bacon (or both), scrambled eggs, American cheese, and hash browns, all on ciabatta” bread. The cafe opens at 8am but the sandwich is available all day.

Izakaya Ju-Ku coming to 1801 Clement
Eater SF reports that what was once Ristorante Tiziano will soon be occupied by Izakaya Ju-Ku. “An Eater tipster tells us friends and family soft-opening-like activity was happening earlier this week, so the formal opening should happen any day now.” No word on the cuisine or menu items yet. Keep an eye on it for us and if you see it open, let us know!

Sarah B.