Friday, August 14, 2015

The Counter Burger in Downtown Phoenix

By: Brandi O'Neil

I was recently invited to lunch at a new spot in downtown Phoenix called, The Counter. A modern twist on the classic burger joint The Counter is located on Central Ave and Adams. Their twist and one of the best options, in my opinion, on the menu is that you can build your own burger, customizing it exactly the way you like. Starting with the size and type of patty, followed by an unlimited selection of flavorful options including:16 varieties of cheese, 23 different sauces, 49 unique toppings, and various fresh buns. Prices start at $8.95 with each additional option costing .5 cents each.

The best part are that all of the ingredients are fresh – some even organic, the beef is hormone and antibiotic free, the chicken is 100% natural and they also offer ahi tuna, turkey or handmade veggie burgers. You can even order your burger salad style – in a bowl with toppings and no bread.

We started with a couple of tasty appetizers. A personal favorite, sweet potato fries which are served with a savory horseradish aioli that I even used on my burger. The fries are plentiful, salty, served hot and fresh.



Next, the Fried Dill Pickle Chips served with a sweet, almost candied, apricot sauce. Fried perfectly, the offered a nice tang with crunch and very little grease.



Next, my companion tried the build your own burger/salad and opted for the Ahi tuna. Ground ahi tuna was served on top of organic mixed greens with quinoa, avocado, olives, roasted peppers and feta cheese. A nice healthy choice for lunch with a homemade balsamic served on the side.



I knew that if I was at a burger joint, I needed to see what they offered, instead of the organic bison, I chose a 1/3 lb. beef patty with pepper-jack cheese, homemade mustard, roasted Anaheim chiles and an onion confit on a fresh brioche style bun. I usually prefer my burger cooked at medium well, but I decided the chef knows best and tried the standard medium. The bun was delicious and the burger cooked perfectly, the toppings were fresh and very tasty. I could only eat half in hopes of getting through the rest of my work day.



The offered sides vary greatly, from fries to coleslaw to grilled vegetable skewers or chili. I chose crispy onion strings which are always good and my companion, seasonal grilled corn. The corn was fantastic! Similar to street corn served on a skewer and grilled with butter, paprika and feta cheese.



To drink, they offer a full bar, cold beer including a few from my favorite local brewery, and custom milkshakes with or without alcohol. Noon on a Tuesday, I opted for their Nutella & Salted Pretzel shake. As stuffed as I was after a great lunch, I saw the word Nutella and had to try it. A delectable, almost heavenly, it was a scrumptious end to the experience.

A friendly and attentive staff along with a clean restaurant only assured me that The Counter will be a success downtown and a return trip for this gal.



The Counter
50 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 466-3411

This experience was provided complimentary. However, all opinions and comments are my own. 

8 comments:

  1. I have to say, the fries look epic! But the burger is blowing it out of the water! Looks fantastic!

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  2. I'm drooling over all of these dishes - but that corn is calling my name!

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  3. Your order totally looks like mine, minus the cheese! LOVE LOVE!

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  4. I want those fries! YUM! This looks delicious.

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  5. Looks like a great meal! Those deep fried pickles are totally calling my name.

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  6. This totally sounds like my kid of place, and all of that food looks amazing. I'll start with the dill pickle chips, please!

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  7. Now that looks like some great comfort food! And I love the idea of being able to build my own burger.

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  8. Fried Dill Pickle Chips are the best aren't they! Love them! Oh my and look at that corn! I'd be all over that!

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