The Counter Corte Madera

A great meal, LOTS of choices to customize! It's been a few months since my last visit, and I'm glad to be back. Came here about 11:15am on a weekday and only a patron waiting for takeout - yayyy, choice of seats! It did get busy by the time we left, so an early lunch worked well for us. We were greeted by our server, Anthony, whom I had during our last visit; he's friendly, competent and I am glad he's still with it here. We ordered some beverages, and I tried the "adult" hard root beer float, featuring "Not Your Father's Root Beer" (5.9% AlcVol) and vanilla ice cream. The first sip had a kick I didn't expect, and the flavor was just perfect. For $9.75 it can be pricy, but a nice treat. For food, we ordered the fried dill pickles appetizer, and burgers off the order board (you can order a set menu item, like a burger, or use a clipboard paper to custom order a burger or salad). We tried a traditional cheeseburger (and of course, I forgot to keep track of the unique items on it!) and an Impossible burger, which I had last visit. I again had the brioche bun, but will try a different one next time - I like mixing things up, and also picked swiss and smoked Gouda cheeses, garlic aioli, and assorted veggies like chopped lettuce, red onions, tomatoes and pickles. I had the burger medium last time (Impossible gets cooked, like real beef!) and so this time tried medium well - "pink center" according to the menu guide. I also ordered a side salad ($3.25) and my dining cohort had shoestring fries (also $3.25). The pickles arrived first, nice and hot. They were thick slices, generously coated in bread crumbs and deep fried a perfect golden brown, with very little greasiness - just right. They came with an apricot based dipping sauce, but I switched for garlic aioli, seemingly my go-to sauce today. They were very good, and it's been hard for me to find these elsewhere - made the all that more delicious! Would definitely order again. The burgers came a while later, but they were also hot and nicely presented. The Impossible Burger was impressive in it's towering presentation! Nice. The cheeseburger was good, I heard no complaints about it when I asked, and the shoestring fries were nice and crunchy. The Impossible Burger was tasty, and although there was no pink inside (medium rare?) it was NOT over-cooked, so I was still happy. Again, I'm trying different things here with this burger, so will try medium again, although last time it was TOO pink! Oyyy, a work in progress. Still, it was delicious. At a total of $18 for all the adds, it may be considered expensive (and it is . . .) but I really like the chance to customize every aspect of the burger, and so I think for an occasional treat it is nice. You can get the Impossible elsewhere, like Burger King and it's good too, but this burger here is a special treat! Overall, the meal was great. Anthony was great to meet our needs, and the place itself is well-lit, open and clean with comfortable seating. Everything comes together. The only "issue" (as I've touched upon) is the overall cost - a burger can easily top $15 with adds and a side, so it adds up, but again, the chance for so many things as add-ons really is nice, and I look forward to again trying a different vision of my burger next time!

Un servício muy profesional y con mucho conocimiento del menú de parte del servidor que me atendió!!recomiendo el lugar tanto por la comida como x la atención que recibirán de todo el personal.!

Very nice lunch, great Impossible Burger! So good . . . A birthday lunch here was a long time coming since my last visit - that was when the place actually opened! Looonnng time - but a nice return visit. The main reason I wanted to come here (the others had been here more recently and like it) was for the "new" Impossible Burger. I've had elsewhere, with varied results - time to test how THEY handle this now common offering to the veggie world. We were seated promptly, as the place was about half full - 3 PM so not peak dining hours. Our server was Anthony, who did a great job with our needs (adults and young children!) and other tables as well. We ordered some beverages and waters, which came quickly and we included a Smoked Smores shake and Dreamsicle (orange and cream) "spiked" shake - for adults only! They arrived quickly as well, and the Dreamsicle was small for the price ($9.75) but was VERY delicious, and really orangey - I loved it, and as a birthday treat was worth the price. For starters we had the loaded tots (pimento cheese, scallions, buttermilk ranch and we held the applewood smoked bacon). We also had the parmesan fries (garlic aioli, rosemary, parsley). Both were healthy servings, and I liked the tots as an option, a nice change up from usual side of fries. For the main entrees, we ordered the kids mini meal (2 small kid sized cheese burgers and fries), the Caesar salad with added chicken, the Bacon BBQ burger (beef patty, Tillamook cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, tomatoes, fried onion strings, hickory BBQ, on a brioche bun) with added avocado for $2.00. And we finished with the Impossible burger - although, I didn't like the one presented on the menu, so I built my own (they offer small clipboards with sheets for customizing a burger or a salad - just fill in and hand to server!). I went with added American and provolone cheeses, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and pickles with thousand island sauce on a Brioche bun. And, surprisingly, I was asked "how I wanted that cooked"! A surprise, since most garden/vegetarian patties are just to be reheated, and with the couple of Impossible burgers I've had elsewhere they just cooked them through and through - perhaps too much! I asked for medium rare, anxious to see this in action! The food came quickly as well, and the burgers were large and tasty looking, as was the Caesar salad which was seemingly covered by thick slices of chicken. The Impossible burger was my concern, however, and I quickly sliced it in half to get a peek - and it was indeed gray ("cooked") on the outside while pink on the inside - and juicy, too! Finally, an Impossible burger the way they were meant to be served. It was a little pricey (more than the bacon BBQ burger with added avocado!) and I can only hope that this doesn't set a trend where eating "healthier" (yeah, I know - tater tots, shake and such!) isn't a pricier choice. But for me, it's a good deal for a vegetarian, and a treat to get an Impossible burger they way it was meant to be eaten. The meal was a very good and tasty experience, and the service great. Value was only issue, but as I haven't been here in quite a while it was indeed a birthday treat! Look forward to next visit.

Great Lunch & Super Dinner "Before" a Movie "Come on in", said with a smile should be their motto! A booth, table or eat at the counter is a fun choice, beers & wines are available as are gluten-free options throughout the menu and the waitstaff attentive & prompt as is the food! The Burger selection has something for everyone; all you have to do is choose..Good luck! Entres: Blue Cheese Burger includes a tasty onion jam & garlic aioli, Bacon Burger is a classic and the Counter Burger w/ grilled mushrooms wonderful. Don't forget to add cheddar cheese too. Grilled 3 Cheese Sandwich is just plain comfort food. Salads: Cobb Salad - easily shared, a generous selection of chopped tomatoes, bacon, grilled chicken & bleu cheese, did switch balsamic mustard dressing for a Ranch. Caesar Salad was very good, ask for extra parmesan cheese on the side. Definitely get the paper-thin Onion Rings & Shoestring Fries to share, both wonderful. Drinks: The Rood Beer Float is a childhood classic and the Nutella Shake a rich chocolaty "oh my" moment!

Super good food and AWESOME service from all! Thank you Brendan.

Yummy! You definitely need to be hungry when you eat here and get your creative juices flowing. They had some pretty spectacular offerings. Once they explain how to choose items on the menu, it's all up to you. You mark off your choices on a little sheet that is attached to a clipboard. The varieties are endless and after receiving my chicken sandwich, I wish I had asked for more options just to try. You can't go wrong here and the staff is very attentive and friendly.

Enjoyed the Impossible burger and the staff was friendly and accommodating.

I love the counter!! Vegan options, always delicious