FOOD REVIEW: The Counter (Pasadena, CA)

1/3 lb burger with Tillamook cheddar, applewood smoked bacon,
dill pickle chips, lettuce and tomato, with a single order of fries and ranch dressing dip

interior of The Counter in Pasadena, showing streaming

The counter at The Counter

As readers of this blog know, I regularly check out burger joints (see my reviews of Five Guys Burgers and Ray's Hell Burger) I had heard about the burgers at The Counter for awhile but only realized recently that there was a location relatively close to me, in Pasadena just off Lake Avenue. Apparently it's been open since September 2009. Part of the reason why it may have gone unnoticed is that is on Shoppers Lane, a very small street parallel to Lake Avenue but "behind" a number of storefronts. In fact, The Counter is now occupying the space where Radhika's Indian Restaurant (which moved to South Pasadena) was for years.

The Counter's shtick is that you build your own burger (similar to Juicy Burger which I intend to check out in the near future) with fresh, tasty ingredients. At The Counter you can have your burger made out of beef, turkey, chicken, "veggie" or the "market selection." You can have it in sizes of 1/3 lb, 2/3 lb or 1 lb and have it on a bun or in a bowl. The number of options is actually pretty overwhelming. You get 1 cheese choice for free, then 4 free cheap toppings then as many premium toppings (like bacon, sauteed mushrooms, guacamole) for $1 each. The price point is clearly intended to be greater than the fast food burger joints In-n-Out and Five Guys which get a significant fraction of their customers who order the burgers to take out and eat later.

The Counter is more like a diner which specializes in burgers. I ordered a 1/3 beef burger on a hamburger bun, with Tillamook cheddar, Dill pickle chips, Bermuda red onion, tomatoes and lettuce blend. I added applewood smoked bacon as my premium topping. The helpful waiter told me that they generally cook all their burgers with pink in the center (medium rare). I also ordered a single order of fries and selected one of the sauces (Country Buttermilk Ranch) from the over two-dozen possibilities. I wasn't sure what to do with the sauce. I asked the waiter f it was for the burger or the fries and he said "both." I poured mine on the lettuce and tomato in my bun.

The burger was excellent, with all the ingredients I ordered blending to make a pretty spectacular burger. The fries were serviceable, but nothing to write home about. I'd say they were better than average, better than Five Guys but probably not as good as In-n-Out fries. Fries to me are important, because I really see the meal as "burger-n-fries." The fries at The Counter do not detract from the burger but do not overwhelm the burger either, which happens at many burger joints. At The Counter almost anyone can select a burger of their choice that they will enjoy; I intend to return several times and try out different combinations in order to discover the perfect burger for me.

Name: The Counter
Location: 140 Shoppers Lane, Pasadena, CA 91101.
Contact: 626-440-1008.
Visit: April 16, 2011.

AMBIANCE: B+.
SERVICE: A-.
VALUE: A-.
FOOD: A.

OVERALL: A- (3.667/4.0).