Fizzle-Pop Eats: The Counter
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 3:54PM I don’t think it gets much more symbolically American, food-wise, than the hamburger. In its most basic form, it’s a simple sandwich: Bread, meat, bread. But rarely do we ever eat it that way. We slather on condiments, we add cheese (nearly standard) and bacon (should be standard), we introduce plants (onions, tomatoes, lettuce) all to make a burger uniquely ours. Your perfect burger is most certainly different than mine. It’s almost a signature.
Seattle has more than a few places that can help you create your signature burger, but for me, the best place is The Lunchbox Laboratory. Small, unkempt and kitschy, this place has an overwhelming number of options to help you create your meat masterpiece. The shakes are great, too.
But recently, a contender for best custom burger joint opened up in Ballard: The Counter. Located in the sort of new Ballard Blocks shopping...thing, The Counter is the cleaned up presentable version of the Lunchbox. When you visit, the first thing you’ll notice (at least the first thing I noticed) is how the signage and typeface make you wonder if you’re not actually about to eat at an office supply store. Once inside, you might be taken aback by the sterile, almost hospital-like interior design of the place. Muted whites and grays dominate, with aluminum chairs. It’s very clean and most certainly antithetical to getting messy with a ridiculous custom burger.
When you enter, a nice person will hand you your menus: clipboards with a list of pre-configured burgers printed on them as well as a pencil and a pad of burger building sheets with the various components on them. This is the ideal way to dine at The Counter. If you come here and select a pre-built burger, then you’re missing the point.
The list of options available to you is extensive (but less so than at the Lunchbox) so I won’t detail them here other than to say you can choose the size of hamburger patty, the type of bun, sauces, cheese, and additions like bacon, onions, etc. On my trip, I built or sort of weird Greek burger, with bacon, feta and tsatsiki. I also got a half and half order of sweet potato fries and fried onions to share with a friend who was with me.
After taking our custom burger slips, the waiter came back less than 10 minutes later with our food, which I thought was pretty fast. This made me suspicious, but I can’t really explain why. I guess I just didn’t want to admit a burger really is “fast food”.
My burger was as I had ordered it, but the tsatsiki was on the side, which I thought was odd. It also wasn’t very good tsatsiki, so maybe they were doing me a favor.
So how was it? Well, it was a burger. It was cooked perfectly (a little pink inside). It was THE burger I built, so I guess I can’t really blame anyone but myself for not being blown away. All of the extras I requested were there, but they didn’t feel like a cohesive thing. It was just a collection of foods picked from a sheet. The experience was as sterile as the dining room I was eating in.
The sides were ok, nothing remarkable.
In the plus column, they’ve got a nice selection of local beers as well as a full bar, which is interesting but maybe a little incongruent to the idea of a “burger joint”.
Ultimately, I think The Counter is fine, but if you’re after a custom-made burger, you can do a lot better in Seattle. I probably won’t be back, but it does make me want to take another trip to the Lab…
Fizzle.
Reader Comments (5)
Probably just a knock off version of Fuddruckers. Except Fuddruckers gives you some sort of weird salad bar to dress up your burger. Also makes me want to bring up the Heart Attack Grill in Phoenix but just thinking about going back to that place puts me into cardiac arrest.
I love burgers. I really just do. In fact, even your review of a burger place that fizzled made my mouth water. I may now have to hit both the Lab and the Counter and do a comparison of my own....
Two things:
One: I used to work at Fuddruckers, Noah! I love their pump fake cheese. And the fact that you can get Frings - half order of onion rings/half order of fries. Good stuff. I also worked with a gang banger from Kansas City, which was quite exciting for a 16-year old from Littleton.
Two: I always choose "the Lab" because the Counter is a chain. Something about that doesn't sit right with me. I don't like that our home-grown deliciousness is being challenged by a restaurant that has a franchise in Roseville, CA. I've been brainwashed by the eat local movement!
Three (I'm an over achiever): Hi!
next time you're in portland you should try the "cheesus" burger at the Grilled Cheese Grill - a burger between two grilled cheese sandwiches. for real.
I love the Counter. The burgers are amazing and great choices of toppings and combos. I am not usually in the mood for a burger and fries but this place makes me want one! I recommend getting the homemade BBQ dipping sauce too.