The latest franchise opened in Carlsbad last month (it's the first one south of Orange County) to much fanfare. The idea behind the restaurant is to offer customers exactly what they want while using fresh, quality ingredients. The Counter offers the food Americans love ---- burgers with a plethora of toppings, sandwiches, chili, fries and onion rings, desserts, hand-spun milkshakes and more.

 

"I think it's the one thing that's been surviving ---- good old American food," said Charlet Chung, who owns the Carlsbad location with her fiance, Tom Yoo.

 

"Things have been going really well," Yoo said. "We really lucked out."

 

Yoo and Chung bought into the franchise 3 1/2 years ago, and they are planning to open four more locations in San Diego County (although none have been named yet). The Counter began as a single restaurant in Santa Monica in 2003, and has grown into 23 locations, with more on the way.

 

"Our heart just got drawn to this," Chung said. "It's the atmosphere; it's huge on culture."

 

"We fell in love with the hamburger," Yoo said. "Before we even invested a dime ... we were a fan of the burger."

 

The burger is custom-made for each customer. Once customers are seated, they are each handed a clipboard with lists of options for the build-your-own burger (but if all the decision-making is too much, there are also "Signature Burgers" that have a preset list of ingredient combinations.)

 

First, customers select from beef, chicken, turkey or veggie patties. The beef is natural, hormone- and antibiotic-free Angus beef from Meyer Farms in Montana. The veggie patties are made in-house from 11 ingredients, and are actually vegan. Customers can then select a weight from 1/3 pound, 2/3 pound and 1 pound (all weights are after cooking), then whether the burger will be served on a bun, or in a bowl with mixed greens or a lettuce blend (a bowl is $1 extra).

 

Then there are 11 cheeses to choose from, with everything from horseradish cheddar to herb goat cheese spread to sharp provolone.

 

Next, customers select up to four toppings (extras are 50 cents) from grilled onions, hard-boiled eggs, roasted corn and black bean salsa, tomatoes and more. Premium toppings are $1 each and include avocado, chili, fried onion strings, sauteed mushrooms and more.

 

Moving forward, customers can select a sauce from a list of 21, of which 20 are made fresh in-house: basil pesto, chipotle aioli, hot wing sauce, spicy sour cream, sweet barbecue sauce and more.

 

Lastly, if the burger comes with a bun, it's time to select from a hamburger bun, honey wheat bun or English muffin.

 

"Our basic premise is all about choice," Yoo said. "But it's not only the high-quality burger ---- it's the people and the atmosphere."

 

Burgers aren't all The Counter offers; there are starters such as Crispy Fried Onion Strings ($4.50), French Fries ($3.25; add cheddar cheese and it's $4.25; add cheddar cheese and chili and it's $5.25); Sweet Potato Fries ($4.50); Mini Cheeseburgers ($7.95); Turkey Chili ($5.95); and more. There's also a "Fifty-Fifty" combination of two of the three onion ring/fry options. And it's not on the menu, but Chung said customers can request a 3-by-3, which is a small portion of each.

 

The Counter also offers a Stacked B.L.T. for $6.95, a Ham & Swiss sandwich for $6.95, and a Grilled Cheese Trifecta, filled with cheddar, American and provolone cheeses, for $5.95.

 

"We don't let it come out unless it's oozing," Chung said. "I'm a cheese lover ---- if it's not oozing, it's over."

 

In addition, this location is the first to offer a lounge and a lounge menu, which includes items such as Portobello Sandwiches ($7.95); Mini Grilled Cheese & Bacon Sandwiches ($5.95); Parmesan Fries ($4.50) and more. The Counter also has a full liquor license; some of the specialty drinks (all $8) include Root Beer Fizz (Stoli vanilla, root beer schnapps and ginger ale), The Counter Dazzle (Bombay Sapphire, pineapple juice, ginger ale, lime juice and a splash of grenadine, served in a sugar-rimmed glass) and Creamsickle (vodka, Triple Sec, orange juice and cream). On top of its regular shakes, The Counter offers "adult shakes" for $8.50, including the "Keoke" Coffee Shake (coffee milkshake with Kahlua).

 

The restaurant at The Forum shops in Carlsbad is in the old Sushi on the Rock location, but Chung and Yoo completely remodeled the space so it is brighter and more open. Roll-up garage windows line two outdoor-facing walls, allowing fresh air to flow through the restaurant. The lounge boasts low-slung couches and a special menu (the regular menu is also available). There is a full bar with seating, and plenty of tables throughout to seat hungry customers.

 

"We really want to create something special, and we feel like we're doing that," Yoo said.

 

NAME: The Counter

LOCATION: 1923 Calle Barcelona, Carlsbad (in The Forum shops)

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday

SEATING: 126

PRICE RANGE: Burgers, $8.50 for 1/3 lb, $10.50 for 2/3 lb., $13.50 for 1 lb.; shakes, $4.95; kids menu, $3.75-$4.95; starters, $3.25-$7.95

OWNERS: Tom Yoo and Charlet Chung

CONTACT: www.thecounterburger.com or 760-652-5480