Tonight was another beautiful night here in the San Francisco burbs and so, after an afternoon of hiking/biking, we decided to cruise over to California Avenue (one of my favorite shopping/dining streets) in search of dinner.
We knew we wanted to eat outside and since we had the kids with us, we wanted it to be casual, so we chose The Counter. Apparently these are Oprah's favorite burgers and they made the GQ list of burger places to try before you die. I have to say, it was damn good.
The girls split a plate of mini burgers and fries and J. and I had their Old School cheeseburgers: burgers with Tillamook cheddar and the works. J. commented that they tasted like "House Burgers" (homemade burgers), which is his highest compliment. I loved that the patties were wobbly and mishapen and they were pretty much too high to wrap your mouth around. The "red relish" (it looked like a ketchupy relish) was also a nice touch. In a word, these burgers were delicious.
We also ordered a basket of shoestring onion rings which were thin, crispy, and delightful. They came served with a smoky barbecue sauce and a ranch-style dressing. I was DYING to try the fried dill pickle chips but J. made a face...maybe next time.
We finished up dinner just as it started getting a little chilly, and we headed home to hot bath, stories, and bedtime. Summer will certainly bring more visits to the Counter.
The Counter, 369 California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306, telephone: 650 321 3900
