I’ve been to Doc Ricketts about 5-6 times in the last year (it’s right next to my office), but their burger solidified me as a true fan last night.
I love the space; it’s cozy and intimate on a late afternoon, lovely and lively for lunch. The dashing young men that make up the staff are personable, warm, knowledgeable about the food, and eager to answer all questions. They also make some mean cocktails.
I’ve had their beautiful house made charcuterie, always excellent and varies from night to night (I think I had the best pâté de campagne I’ve ever had there), I’ve had their fries (very good), I’ve had their chicken liver toast – divine. And on several occasions I’ve had the Nicoise Salad, a sort of deconstructed version, with pristine tombo tuna, a heady tapenade, perfectly just-undercooked hard-boiled egg, piquillo peppers, silvery anchovies, potatoes, and butter lettuce. Always super fresh, it’s a very light yet satisfying salad.
But the burger is now my favorite in the City. They use ground short ribs for an incredibly beefy, rich flavor, and it’s served with a little sliced onion (which I usually don’t like, but it was subtle here); “burger sauce,” a very nice, understated mayo-type of “secret” dressing; shredded crispy lettuce for a nice contras, and cheddar cheese, which did not overwhelm the burger at all; all on a lovely squishy but still-sturdy bun. The meat was cooked perfectly, with a great, chewy/crunchy char on the outside, and incredibly juicy inside. One of my friends had the burger with the side salad – a beautiful ,simple pairing of red lettuce leaves and watermelon radishes in a light vinaigrette. Another friend had the gnocchi parisienne – gnocchi made with pâte à choux - my first time encountering this delight. The dish was like a scene of Spring, and the gnocchi were little moist clouds, mounded by pickled shallots and baby vegetables, dusted with pecorino romano. A star of a dish.
Everything is done with care. The cocktail glass for my perfectly balanced $6.00 Amaro Manhattan (also my new favorite, and not just because of that happy hour price) was beautifully frosted, and the next one was too. They pay attention to detail here.
They have a nice little sherry list, which pleases me, and a good varied selection of wines, which you can get by the half bottle. And I’ve had many a good, hand-crafted cocktail here too, whiling away an afternoon when we should have been at work.
Doc Ricketts
124 Columbus Ave.
SF
www.docrickettssf.com
