Few foods are as American as the hamburger and among all of the food items cooked and sold in restaurants each day, burgers are the food most commonly offered and ordered. The American obsession with burgers has evolved significantly since its early days and today, some restaurants specialize in making the common hamburger a more memorable experience. One good example of a restaurant that has turned the burger into something grand is The Counter, a restaurant that specializes in custom burgers and more.
The Menu
The Counter is mostly about the burgers and other sandwich options and they form the basis of the menu. Customers select among a few different options, such as beef, chicken breast, turkey, vegan veggie, etc. They are then asked to select a size for the meat: one- third pound, two- thirds pound, or one full pound. The weights are after cooking, not before, so customers can count on a sandwich with an amount of meat more in- line with expectations.
Once the meat is chosen, the fun begins. Customers can select among common toppings such as ketchup, lettuce, mustard, tomatoes, and mayonnaise, but the selections go far beyond the ordinary. The Counter offers such unique options as cranberries, mixed greens, scallions, grilled pineapple, carrot strings, and many more. There are about 25 different sauce options, 5 different bun options, and even a bowl option that excludes the bun for those who are counting their carbs. And to make sure that customers and restaurant personnel get the order right, each customer is presented with a clipboard containing a menu, order card, and pen so that they can mark exactly the meat selection and toppings they want.
Besides the build your own burger/sandwich, The Counter has a few pre- made sandwich options such as Old School, The Counter Burger, Mini- Cheeseburgers, Taco Turkey, etc. Appetizers, desserts, kids menu options, and beverages round out the selections.
Beer Selection
One other nice thing about a visit to The Counter is the selection of beer. Each location tends to tailor its beers to those brewed in the local community with a handful of other selections. Here in Houston, the options include such local establishments as No Label Brewing, Southern Star, Karbach, and more. To keep everyone happy, The Counter also offers other popular selections from other parts of the country, with an emphasis on craft beer.
One popular option at The Counter for beer lovers is its “Mix it Up” burger and beer pairings. This is only offered certain days of the week and it aims to match up the beer from a local brewery with four different specialty burgers. A small glass, about 5 oz. in size, filled with four different beers is than matched for taste against each of four different burgers. The burgers are small so that one person can easily handle the entire meal and the taste combinations are often spot- on and quite good.
Hours/Pricing
The hours vary from one Counter location to the next, but most all are open seven days per week with hours extended on weekends. The Houston location at 4601 Washington Ave. is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day and the nearby location in the Woodlands is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
As for the pricing, The Counter keeps the cost of most every menu item contained between $5 and $15. A large, one pound burger with loads of toppings may exceed the $15 mark, but most every other menu selection is priced in a range that makes it easily compatible with most budgets.
In Conclusion
The Counter is a great place for those who want a delicious burger or other sandwich custom made to their own specifications. Plenty of restaurants sell burgers and many offer customized toppings, but few can match the different combinations possible at the Counter. When was the last time you had a burger topped with carrot strings, a hard- boiled egg, and grilled pineapple? There just aren’t many burger restaurants with so many selections and it is nice that The Counter offers chicken, vegan, and other alternatives for those who have a preference other than beef.
Burgers and other sandwiches are front and center at The Counter, but the beer selection is particularly memorable for its emphasis on local beer and its “Mix it Up” beer pairings with sandwiches. Most recently, the Houston location served Southern Star beer paired with four different burgers and the plan is to rotate the Mix it Up feature by offering sandwich pairings with beer from other local breweries.
Burgers are an American mainstay and The Counter is one of the best places around for a delicious burger made your way with loads of toppings, washed down with your favorite beer, wine, or soft drink. The Counter has locations in several states and has even expanded internationally to Ireland, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, so it is certainly a restaurant on the move. Visit a location near you, and discover the great taste of a burger or other sandwich made your way and served with just the right beverage for a one- of- a- kind taste combination treat.
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