| Healthy foods and numerous cuisines to select from this cozy restaurant |
Reviewer: Jason
Total Reviews: 1040
Reviewed: 6/22/2005
Rating: 9
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Thanks to Scott on the good recommendation for Country Gourmet. We had passed this place a couple of months earlier but didnt think much of it as it looked like your average restaurant. Good thing we stopped inside as it is far from average.
They way it works, you order at the counter and they bring the food to you. Prices are more expensive for lunch but it's justified for the high end ingredients. With so many choices to choose from, I went with a cheeseburger.
bun - freshly made sesame bun, one of the best tasting buns I've had.
meat - from Niman Ranch, not greasy but juicy, very lean and smell/tasted like a steak. High quality beef that you find at the best burger spots. Easy on the seasonings where the main flavors emanating from the beef. Super GOOD.
toppings - veggies were fresh, bermuda onions were thinly sliced, juicy tomatoes, and green leaf lettuce.
My burger was excellent and one of the best I've had in the area. It wasn't served with fries but country style potatoes. Not too greasy and a good alternative to oily fries. I think Country Gourmet emphasize on a healthier approach without compromising the taste. I can't forget the brownie...I doubt this was healthy but it was an ABSOLUTE 10. If I had a category for best brownie....this is it.
I look forward to returning to Country Gourmet as they have many menu options to try. Lots of people were ordering salads and from the looks of it, people were enjoying their food. Tasty food without the grease, what more do you need?
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Reviewer: Terry
Total Reviews: 739
Reviewed: 6/22/2005
Rating: 8.5
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Country Gourmet came as a wishlist request. I saw it immediately began to think of Marie Callendars. My heart sank and I wasn't too enthused about eating here at Country Gourmet. Well I placed my order for a veggie burrito anyway and decided to go forward with it. For drinking, I got myself a cranberry-lemonade. The format of the restaurant was a little different. You order your food at the counter as you walk in, then go sit down and they bring it to you. They gave me my drink as soon as I order it. I sat down and drank my lemonade. wow, this was pretty damn good stuff. I finished it off quickly before the food arrived.
My plate arrived and I was blown away. It didn't look like fatty food from the midwest, it actually looked like california cuisine done well. The burrito was nothing like traditional yet it was incredibly tasty. Lots of good flavors in a fresh-tasting package. Even the black beans in there were good. It was odd to include the hashbrown potatoes in there, but DAMN they are good. Among the best I have had. Not greasy and FULL of flavor. If Country Way had these kind of hash browns, I would actually eat them there. In fact, I ate all these up as well - and it was lunch.
Prices aren't the best (my burrito was $8.40), service is decent, and food is great.
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Reviewer: ne00
Total Reviews: 187
Reviewed: 7/5/2006
Rating: 8.5
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Country Gourmet is on the corner of Mary Ave and Fremont Blvd. The main entrance is facing Fremont Blvd.
Country Gourmet is known for their gorgeous and scrumptious salads, juicy and healthy burgers, and a healthier overall dining experience. Even their website looks “healthy.” If you are seeking home comfort food, this is not the restaurant for you.
Upon entering the front door, there is a sign that reads, “No cell phones allowed.” Once inside, you line wait in line to order your meal, pay in advance, and find a place to sit. When your food is ready, a waiter will bring your food to you.
After lunch, I wanted to take my friend to La Patisserie as she loves anything chocolate, but a sign posted at the door read, closed July 3 through July 10. She suggested we stop by Country Gourmet for a piece of cake to go. She was especially fond of their chocolate and carrot cake. Country Gourmet would be far from my thoughts as a stop to grab desserts to go. Her recommendations are typically spot-on, so I went for the ride.
Their slices of cakes are comparable to the size at Flames. Prices are $4.50 for a slice of chocolate cake and a slice of carrot cake is $3.95. We order one slice of each to go.
Their carrot cake is one of the best I have ever had. Most carrot cakes I eat are overly sweet from the first bite. Commonly the icing is too sweet or the cake itself is too sweet or has too much walnuts. This carrot cake is perfect. The icing is creamy and there is not a lot of it on the cake but the right amount to compliment the cake while enjoying the cake itself. The cake is not too sweet and has little bits of carrots, raisins and walnuts. The cake needs a little bit more icing within the middle layer. (9.5/10)
I did not get to try the chocolate cake but my friend says the cake is not too sweet but will satisfy any chocolate lover.
Will definitely come back to try their salads, breakfast items, or hamburger. Their prices seem a bit high for some lunch items.
Pluses: Accepts credit cards, large parking area, their desserts taste great.
Minuses: TBD
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Reviewer: Dan
Total Reviews: 84
Reviewed: 7/26/2007
Rating: 8.5
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I decided to visit Country Gourmet recently since I was nearby and remembered the Jatbar review. I arrived at about 12:20 on a weekday and the place was packed, but no line to speak of. A weird crowd: 50% retirees, 25% housewife packs, with the remaining 25% vacationers or people who don't seem to be working today(?). I scanned the menu and didn't see much I could get excited about. Mostly sandwiches and salads. I'm not into sandwiches and I wasn't in the mood for a salad. There were a couple of specials on the board but these weren't appealing and were a bit pricey. After remembering Jason's review, I ordered the hamburger. Total cost was $11.20 with tax ($13.20 with tip). At this price, it better be good! My food arrived just over 5 minutes after sitting down (Pretty quick considering the crowd). My burger was impressive and very large. It came on a nice, fresh bun and included fresh tomatoes, lettuce, onions & pickles. They included Dijon mustard too. Nice. I assembled my masterpiece and dug in. Wow. This was one great hamburger. The meat was very high quality and cooked perfectly to my medium-rare specification. Combined with the fresh veggies and delicious bun, it was a total home run. Maybe the best burger I've had in the bay area. The only other one that might touch this is the burger at Palo Alto Creamery (the one downtown P.A., not the Peninsula Creamery reviewed on Jatbar). My burger came with "fries" that were actually hash browns. These were fresh-made and had a nice mix of both crispy and soft pieces. Really good. All in all, a great meal. If the price had below $10 this would have been a great deal as well.
I usually try and visit a restaurant at least twice before submitting a review, but I'll have to make an exception for Country Gourmet since I may not be back for a while. I'm rarely in this neighborhood, and there weren't many other items on the menu that I want to try. Still, I give it a solid score for a solid burger. |
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