The Counter: When You’ve Got a Big Hankerin’ for a Big Honkin’ Burger

Image from thecounterburger.com

C – Have you ever had one of those days when you can’t shake a burger craving? When all you want is a big ol’ sloppy burger? Well I stumbled into our version of Heaven, my friend, and it’s at Reston Town Center.

The Counter, boasting custom built burgers, is a chain that only seems to have one location in the Metro DC area – but strangely has outlets in Dublin and Jeddah. With locally sourced ingredients, you can opt to build-your-own or pick from their menu. I find building my own anything stressful, so I tend to just choose. For me, it’s typically The Official Counter® Burger: hormone and antibiotic free beef, sharp provolone, crispy onion strings, lettuce blend, sautéed mushrooms, ripened red tomatoes and sun-dried tomato vinaigrette on a brioche style bun. But one of these days I’m going to get one of their Burgers in a Bowl which is, essentially, a burger salad. The 1/3 pound burger is definitely big enough, so unless you’re super-hungry, best to avoid the 1/2 pound option.

The Counter has a nice, relaxed and casual atmosphere. They have a good bar with tons of craft beers — you can even get a Beer Float, which sounds just awful if I can be totally honest. And, at some point, I’m going to try one of their “adult milkshakes.” But that’s not something I can do during lunch, so I’ll have to wait.

The Counter
11922 Democracy Drive
Reston VA 20190

Discover DC Restaurant Week!

K- Restaurant week began on Monday and I’m desperately trying to find time to go to a fabulous restaurant and try their menu. I will admit that there have been a few times that I’ve gone to a restaurant during this delectable time only to be disappointed. Unfortunately some dining establishments that participate don’t feel the need to put their best cooking out there and instead offer mediocre menus that serve unsatisfactory food. And to be honest, I never return. I figure if this is how you cook for Restaurant Week, why do I want to return and pay full price for a poor dining experience – I don’t. But those restaurants that I visit and tantalize my taste buds with food that I can’t stop talking about, such as Brasserie Beck and Bombay Club, those I will return to and bring my friends.

So go! Explore some of the exciting restaurants that you’ve been putting off because you are afraid of paying a lot for a big disappointment and maybe find that fabulous place that has the best whatever to die for that you want to go back again and again, with lots of friends, so you can talk about how delicious it all is! And maybe there will be a disappointment, but isn’t that what adventure is all about – discovery? I know I’m ready to find yet another fantastic place to dine. Bon appetit!

Restaurant Week is from 19 –  25 January. Lunch is $20.15 and dinner is $35.15. To find out what restaurants are participating click here.

Cafe Deluxe… Can we discuss the cobbler?

Image from http://www.cloverrestaurantgroup.com

C – Every time I go to Cafe Deluxe, the first thing out of my mouth is “what’s the cobbler of the day?” If you’ve never been to this moderately priced mini-chain, you have no idea what you’re missing. More on that later.

Cafe Deluxe has long been my off-the-top-of-my-head choice for easy, stress-free meals. If I’ve had a rough day, I tend to suggest meeting friends here, rather than trying something new. I know I’ll get something I like without having to put forth much effort. And the atmosphere isn’t too chaotic, even when it’s at capacity.

Something between a bistro and a brasserie, Cafe Deluxe serves hearty American food, but they can also whip up a nice, light and flavorful salad. On my last visit (really, on my last two visits), I opted for the Crispy Goat Cheese Salad to start and the Braised Boneless Short Rib, which is served over risotto, as my main. It’s a very filling meal, and every bite is packed with flavor. The meat simply crumbles on your fork and dissolves in your mouth. The risotto is the perfect partner to this dish. Most of the entrees are above average and, if you have room for an extra side, I’d recommend the Mac & Cheese. It’s out of this world.

Serving lunch, brunch and dinner, Cafe Deluxe can pretty much cater to most comfort food cravings. But the real star of the show is the cobbler. I don’t know exactly what they put into that crust (crack?), but it is exceptional. The cobbler comes in one flavor depending on the season – strawberry, blueberry, peach, etc.) and it’s served with two heaping scoops of ice cream. This is not a desert for one – make sure you’ve got at least two people in on this. That said, you’ll be fighting for the last bite. This, coming from someone who doesn’t care for fruit-based deserts. (I feel like I’m getting cheated or something when fruit is presented as an after dinner treat). A great alternative to the cobbler is the Apple Crumble which works with a similar base but is instead covered in cinnamon and brown sugar clusters. As if we needed more sugar.

So, my advice on Cafe Deluxe? Go for the cobbler, enjoy the meal.

Cafe Deluxe
Various locations around the DC area including Tyson’s, Bethesda and Cleveland Park.