The Unvegan

The customizable meal has always been one of my favorites. From pizza to stir-fry, I’ve always felt that it is one of the best ways to eat. It’s basically how you would make something if you had all the ingredients yourself. The unfortunate side-effect is that if you don’t like the food, it’s your own fault. The Counter has taken the customizable concept to burgers.

Their amazing array of ingredients and choices gives and unvegan like me a world of opportunities. Of course, they have lettuce, pickles and tomatoes, but there are enough non-vegetables to really make it an unvegan burger. I ordered the 1/3 pound beef burger with, bacon, herb goat cheese, pineapples and dried cranberries. For my sauce, I got the sweet BBQ on the side (learning my lesson from last time that it is easier to dip a burger than to try to find a place for sauce on it).

I eagerly awaited my creation, while feasting on a side of sweet potato fries and sipping on some hefeweizen. When my burger came, it looked just as I had hoped and I began to dig in. Bite by bite, I converted my personal burger into the essential unvegan nutrients my body needs. About midway through, I bit into a problem. The bite had an undesirable crunch and taste to it. Knowing I couldn’t swallow it down, I subtly spat it into my napkin, only to find some sort of pepper! My knowledge of pepper varieties is somewhat limited, and I could only distinguish that it fell somewhere between pepperoncini and red bell pepper.

Disappointment washed over me. I consumed the remainder of my burger, but my dream of the perfectly customized burger had been crushed. When a place advertises “Custom Built Burgers,” it better deliver that without excuses.