If you thought “gourmet” burgers had jumped the shark, well. . . don’t go in the water any time soon.
Latest evidence is just-opened The Counter (3101 PGA Blvd., 561/557-8515), a DIY burger joint that made its debut last week in The Gardens mall in Palm Beach Gardens.
With locations in 10 states (four in South Florida) and four foreign countries, plus plans for new Counters in spots from Arizona to Qatar, the L.A.-based burger chain isn’t kidding around. They also aren’t kidding about the DIY part of the burger experience, with a remarkable selection of cheeses, sauces and toppings to garnish your patty, which itself comes in multiple iterations on multiple styles of bun.
We’re talking 16 different cheeses, from herbed goat to jalapeno jack. Almost two-dozen sauces from peanut to sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, not to mention 45 assorted toppings ranging from carrot strings and dried cranberries to black bean salsa and sunnyside-up egg. If that sounds too daunting, there’s also a roster of house burger combos, from New Orleans-style Italian (with olive salad, black forest ham and provolone) to a chili cheeseburger with pickled smoked jalapenos, along with burgers made with bison, turkey, chicken, tuna and veggies.
And if that’s too daunting, there’s a selection of burger-based salads, sammies, appetizers, and fries and such, plus craft beers, wines, mixological cocktails and adult shakes. Ronald McDonald’s nose may burst into flames at any moment.
