Cheeseburger Review: Step Right Up

(Editor’s Note: The hits just keep on coming. Today, in our ongoing coverage of Cheeseburger Week, contributing writer Christian Araya drops us off at The Counter.)

With so many great cheeseburgers in Pasadena, and so many great places participating, we’ve been hard-pressed to choose our favorites. The Counter is a good example of that dilemma.

Their burger artisans waste little time at not wasting yours. On arrival, your eyes can’t help but veer to the glistening fried egg yolk and white that lays tantalizingly on the heap of 100% natural Angus beef, cheddar, and bacon. Just as noteworthy if not more so, is the substitution of traditional English muffins for burger buns. No brioche on this one. Call it a British Invasion.

But that was just our design.

The Counter offers a dizzying combination of patties, buns, toppings, more toppings, and sauces. Add to that 12 (!) different cheeses. You could easily conjure up a burger from any country or ethnicity in any one visit.

To make things even more interesting, The Counter created their own sweet and tangy house Siiracha sauce that gets right to the meat of the matter. Dip anything in that pool of hot sauce heaven–especially if it’s some of their thin and savory onion rings. If the clandestine sauce isn’t your thing, you can just as easily satisfy your desire to dip with their barbeque and ranch sauce (go ahead and double dip, we won’t tell). There are sauces for days here at the Counter.

How are you able to continue indulging in such a lavish manufacturing of refined culinary workmanship? What’s the perfect libation? Their Angelino IPA. Brewed right in the heart of Little Tokyo, it’s the perfect balance of light and dark.

Their Pasadena restaurant’s interior resembles a modernist loft dabbled with Warholian prints and frames lined up against the wall. It’s located in an alley, so it’s not the most noticeably easy place to find but it does add to the industrial vibe. Their staff is friendly, no bull and all cheese. The right kind.

The Counter is at 140 Shoppers Lane, Pasadena.(626) 626 440 1008. www.thecounterburgers.com