Here are the basics on The Counter: The burgers are very good. The decor is cleanly modern with retro touches. The fries are tasty. It's pretty cheery, ambience-wise, though the service is a little spotty. The Jazz game can be watched on big TVs.

So why did I leave feeling disgruntled?

Could be because I was experiencing major sticker shock. Including a tip, the bill for my husband, our four kids and me was nearly $100. For burgers!

And we were none too extravagant, either: the kids had meals costing $4 to $5, while my husband and I had the smallest burger, a 1/3-pound patty that costs $8.50.

That's the base price, mind you. Some fixings are included in that price, but certain toppings (which include such "premium" items as avocado, chili, bacon and sauteed mushrooms) are a buck each, as is extra cheese.

That bothered me: I don't think the burger-buying experience should resemble car shopping. And who wants dried cranberries on a burger? I mean, really. It's like offering awnings on a sedan.

I think I was deceived by the press materials I received from The Counter, which, combined with its down-to-earth name, gave me the impression that this is the burger distilled to its purest, most delicious essence.

What you really get is the burger elevated so far beyond its blue-collar roots that they disappear.

You can top your beef, turkey, veggie or chicken burger with one of 10 cheeses. You can have it with 28 other toppings, from dill pickle chips to roasted corn and black bean salsa. There are 18 sauces and three types of buns and three sizes of patties.

Or you can order from the menu of eight "signature" burgers. With it you can choose from 11 sides.

When you come right down to it, it's basic burgers with a lot of frippery. There's no ostrich burger on the regular menu, or buffalo burger or salmon burger or anything else exotic enough to justify these prices.

But it's tasty stuff, no doubt about it. My husband had a traditional combination of barbecue sauce, bacon and cheese, and his burger was substantial, juicy and satisfying.

I had a burger topped with Gruyere cheese, red onion, pickle chips, mixed baby greens and sauteed mushrooms, on a honey wheat bun. It tasted nice, with lots of earthy mushrooms and creamy cheese. But on my second bite the bun fell apart.

True, on a burger this stuffed, the bun gets a workout. But at a place like this the buns should be up to the challenge.

The kids had simple but decent grilled cheese, grilled ham and cheese and mini-cheeseburgers, and we all enjoyed the thin-cut and delicious French fries and the onion "strings," also cut thin but surprisingly tender and juicy.