So, Texas Monthly has come out with their 50 Best Burgers in Texas list. Sounds simple and controversy free enough. I mean just like pizza, bbq, and college sports, no one has strong opinions about burgers. Right?
8 of the burgers on the list are from Austin which isn’t too much of a surprise, but apparently the number 2 best burger in the state can be found right down the street at Counter Café.
Seriously? Little ol’ Counter Café? Drive-by-it-all-the-time, minding-its-own-business, squat, unassuming Counter Café? The same Counter Café that served us up overpriced, mediocre brunch food and a totally overrated pimento cheese sandwich? This is the place that has the next to best burger in a state that’s bigger than most of the countries in Western Europe?
That’s the claim.
Could I look more hopeful?
We had to investigate. After a Saturday morning visit to the farmers’ market, the wifey and I piled into the car and made a beeline over to Lamar in an effort to beat the curious crowds that exposure like this is sure to generate. Not only were we able to pull right into a parking spot, but we only had to wait about 3 minutes before scoring a couple of sweet seats at the bar.
A nosey but thorough snooping around revealed that only 4 other patrons were partaking in the Burger of the Hour. Hmmm.
Almost half of Counter Café’s space is occupied by a long open kitchen, so it’s easy to watch the dudes in back cook up whatever it is you’ve ordered. We ordered burgers. Duh. Rachel opted to augment hers with some grilled jalapenos and a side of sweet potato fries. I went purely traditional.
The first thing that I noticed when our burgers arrived was that they were only partially assembled. The choice and amounts of condiments are left up to the diner, as bottles of mustard, aioli, and ketchup were there to attest. The second thing I noticed was how good they smelled. Like really good. Like really, really, seriously good.
I tried a bit of the bun and discovered that it was sweet. Not like potato bread sweetness, but genuinely sweet, almost like an Asian pork sticky bun. Good thing I’m a freak for pork sticky buns. I had a bite of tomato and it tasted like it was actually grown (possibly in dirt) and not fabricated in a weird warehouse laboratory somewhere. A good start.
After a few minutes of construction (I’m a mustard and mayo guy myself) my burger had reached peak eating potential. I cut it open to get a closer look at the innards. The patty was not too thick and not too thin. It was cooked to an impressive medium-rare. Oddly though, with no instruction from us, Rachel’s was cooked medium-well. Maybe consistency isn’t their strong suit.
As I bit into the burger, the bun totally made sense. It was a great counter-point to the sharp cheddar cheese and the rich, juicy, charred beef. The vegetables were fresh and crisp and supplied in a thoughtful ratio. In the Logan vs. Burger battle royale, the poor little guy didn’t stand a chance.
I have to say, this is one damn fine burger.
Is it next in line to be the all-time best burger in Texas? Don’t know. I will say that before eating it I would have laughed at you for suggesting it. Hell, I may even have slapped you. After lunch though, I’d give it fighting odds. If I had to bitch, I’d say the meat could have used a touch more salt, but other than that it really made a fine showing for itself.
A word of warning though, the fries are a travesty. Counter Café should be ashamed to serve them. They are as bad as the burger is good. I guess they’re hand-cut, but they arrive on the plate a big pile of limp, soggy, greasy, unappetizing potatoishness. I ate two and regretted each bite more than the last. Stick to the burgers.
-L. Pants
626 N Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 708-8800
