TRUE LAUREL

Favorite details: The intricacies of that burger. It comes out as a simple thing, a patty between two slices of toast. Or so it seems. The bread is griddled in aged beef fat. The patty is a flavor explosion, a rich umami bomb of round, chuck, aged navel and fat, boosted by pickles, American cheese and onions. The composition is a worthy pedestal for the beef.

Pro tip: No reservations. And it’s the kind of fancy bar where you need a seat.

A cool thing: We haven’t discussed the cocktails ($15) yet. Which is a very bad oversight because the singular cocktails by Chronicle Bar Star Nico Torres are designed to be the star of the True Laurel show. Indeed, without spoiling the fun too much, many are made with showmanship in mind. Order: Food: Bar nuts, fondue, patty melt. Drinks: Grandma’s to Blame (Islay gin, clarified grapefruit, manzanilla, lavender, honey ferment), In the Pines, Under the Palms (toasted coconut rye, Terroir gin, vermouth, absinthe, redwood tips), Mai O Mai (Panamanian rum, lime, pistachio orgeat, curacao, coffee-rum float). This is also a very good place for nonalcoholic cocktails. There’s one on the menu — Spice & Everything Nice ($10), made with Seedlip, chamomile, pink peppercorn and pear vinegar — but the bartenders can usually make you something custom, too.

753 Alabama St., San Francisco. 415341-0020 or www.truelaurelsf.com. 4 p.m.-2 a.m. daily; kitchen open 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Brunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat. and Sun. No reservations. Credit cards accepted.

— P.L.