the counter

I had lunch at The Counter this afternoon. The Counter specializes in burgers and just opened on California in Palo Alto. Its original location is in Santa Monica, and its move north has been eagerly anticipated.

The Counter has a 1-page menu with a genius twist – build your own burgers. They give you a sheet of paper, a pencil (no eraser) and lots of choices. Step 1a: pick your patty. Cow, turkey, chicken and veggies are all available. Step 1b: select a size. Increments are in thirds of a pound.

Step 2: choose a cheese. Ten are offered, including Gruyere and goat. Step 3: pick up to four toppings from the list of 18 . I opted for grilled onions, roasted peppers, mixed baby greens and roasted chiles. If my co-worker Bill had been with me, I know he wouldn’t have skipped the grilled pineapple.

Step 4: select a sauce. There are 17 to choose from. And, step 5: pick a bun. For those who have trouble deciding, they do have signature combinations. The full list of options is here.

I really enjoyed my burger but was surprised to find that the turkey was even better. Next trip I want to try the chicken breast and, when you go, don’t miss the sweet potato fries. They are excellent.

The Counter: 369 California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA (650) 321-3900