Orange County Register

I took my family to The Counter in Santa Monica on Sunday to scope out what Orange County can expect when the custom burger joint opens later this month in Irvine.

A few things surprised me, including the restaurant’s set up. I thought I would have to order my custom burger from a counter - ala takeout at Chipotle or Subway. Instead, we were seated by a clipboard-toting hostess.

I immediately thought: “This isn’t fast-casual dining.”

Once seated, diners are given a form that lists a five-step process for creating a custom burger. First, you pick your meat (turkey, beef, grilled chicken.) A “Veggie” burger is also an option. You then, pick a size: 1/3 lb., 2/3 lb. or 1 lb.

The next three steps involve toppings, sauces and type of bun. Each burger comes with four toppings with the option to buy additional ingredients for 50 cents. (Premium selections such as avocado cost $1.) To view the complete “clipboard” menu, CLICK HERE.

If you’re rattled by choosing from so many options, the menu also lists signature favorites with pre-selected ingredients such as a plate of sliders (shown, above) with chopped Bermuda red onions. The menu also has a kids meal section, and plenty of side dishes and desserts to choose from.

I went basic with a 1/3-pound Angus burger ($7.95) with provolone cheese, pickles, grilled onions, lettuce blend and tomatoes. My burger was so thick (shown above, left) , it was hard to bite. No wonder each plate comes with a steak knife. My husband, Brady, ordered turkey sliders and, my daughter, Hannah, got the Grilled Cheese sandwich.

We also ordered a strawberry shake, turkey chili and the “Fifty-Fifty” sweet potato fries and onion strings. Overall, everything was fresh and delicious. The only thing we didn’t like were the fries. Both sweet and regular were bland, and not as good as the onion strings.

The total tab for the three-person meal, including the non-alcoholic drinks was $42. (That didn’t include the tip.) I thought the prices were a bit over the top, but the burgers were incredibly tasty, and fresh. And, the Texas Toast served with the chili and used for the Grilled Cheese sandwich was to die for!

I imagine the The Counter will do well when it opens later this month in Irvine’s Woodbury Town Center.

Stay tuned: I’m meeting the Irvine franchisee for The Counter today. Come back later this week for details about The Counter’s  Nov. 19 debut in Orange County.

To learn more about The Counter’s Irvine debut, CLICK HERE to read my previous post.

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