Orange County Register

Like most successful restaurateurs, Liam Carroll, 43, got his start cutting onions and washing dishes in kitchen eateries, including Irvine-based In-N-Out Burger.

Carroll — an Orange County native — spent a bulk of his career at the famous Southern California burger chain. No doubt, he became a burger snob at In-N-Out, known for its juicy, hand-pressed patties. But, with a desire to open his own sit-down eatery, Carroll left the fast-food industry a few years ago.

He scouted various restaurant concepts for months. And, guess what he wound up falling for?

A burger joint.

Tonight, Carroll will open Orange County’s first The Counter, a chic “build your own” burger chain that’s becoming a word-of-mouth sensation among Southern California foodies. The Counter in Orange County is among more than two dozen franchises the Culver City-based chain plans to open over the next two years.

“We’re anticipating it to be really busy. People say they can hardly wait,” said Carroll, of Rancho Santa Margarita.

Carroll has rights to develop five Counters in Orange County. He’s looking at locations in Aliso Viejo, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Anaheim. Here’s what he had to say:

Q: You’ve worked at, arguably, one of the best fast food burger joints in the country. Is The Counter burger a better burger?

A: The taste of our burgers is just miles ahead of anything. In-N-Out is good, but this is a whole other level. Ours is charbroiled, you can get with Gruyere cheese with caramelized onions, or with fried onions. You can get tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes.

Q: The Counter claims there are more than 300,000 burger combinations because of the dozens of ingredients you offer. True?

A: I’m sure it is. I wasn’t good in math. But, we have so many toppings. I bet there’s even more than that.

Q: Why was The Counter the right concept for you?

A: We looked at sports bars, creating our own concept … everything. But, when we ate that first burger (in Santa Monica), we knew this was it. It’s such a cool place. (Quick decor note: Each restaurant has a trademark “roll-up garage door” window, Caesar stone counter tops, aluminum chairs and artwork by local artists.)

Q: Why did you go with a sit-down restaurant, as opposed to fast-food?

A: It’s more fun to have a sit-down restaurant. It’s more about the people. With fast food, it is more about the crew, and the operation. This you get both. You can interact with the guest. I wanted to open a restaurant where I could entertain like I was having a party in my back yard.

Q: With such a complicated menu, will you take phone orders?

A: Yes. We encourage it.

Q: I ordered the minimum four toppings with my burger, and I could barely bite into it because it was so thick. What’s the biggest burger you’ve ever seen?

A: (Laughs) I personally haven’t seen it, but one customer ordered a pound patty with everything. It was in Santa Monica. It was huge. I saw a picture of it.

Q: What’s your favorite burger combo?

A: I go standard: one-third pound burger, with baby greens and tomatoes, and maybe red onions and Gruyere or Swiss cheese. I’ll mix it up with the sauces, and cheeses. I don’t go real crazy with it.

Q: What’s the time frame for opening the next four restaurants in Orange County.

A: We hope to open one a year, or at least every 18 months.

More information: The Counter at Irvine’s Woodbury Town Center opens tonight at 5 p.m., followed by regular operating hours on Wednesday. Address: 6416 Irvine Blvd. in Irvine. Average per person check: $12.50.

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