Time: Dinner
Location: East Village
Food: Vegan/Vegetarian
Price: $$$
Service: 6.5/10
Noise level: Moderate
Overall: 4.5/10 (2.5 of the 4.5 is for the Kabocha)
Counter, located in the East Village neighborhood boasts a healthy reputation of being one of the best vegan/vegetarian eateries in the city. My experience did not match up to the other 352 odd reviewers who gave this restaurant an almost 5-star rating on Google.
Let's start with the ambiance. The images shown on their website: http://www.counternyc.com/ don't give the true picture of bandaged chair cushions and overall rustic feeling I got as soon as I stepped into this place. Come the menu, we ordered the East Side Burger - supposedly a crowd pleaser, Farmhouse panini and a couple of starters. When you charge $16 for a burger, you better deliver something out of this world. Sadly, the "crowd pleaser" failed to please me and the panini was strictly OK. The most delicious item was in fact a starter, Cornmeal-Pepita Crusted Kabocha - tasted delicious with grilled jalapeño aïoli.
Come the check, I was left wondering how come something so expensive was neither fulfilling nor palatable. It didn't simply burn a hole in my pocket, it ripped it right off.
I read somewhere they are closing down by April 2011. There are some specials out there for those of you who may be interested. I know I won't be visiting it again for sure.
