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| - NCounter is located on the North end of Mill Ave, near the PHX Metro Light Rail track. As much as I hate going out to eat on Mill Ave, due to the stressful moments I have trying to find parking, this place is definitely worth it.
The restaurant has a modern industrial feel to it, as the color scheme is black, white, and gray with orange accents. It's very trendy and has a "underground hipster" feel to it. Very appropriate for its college town location. They have a large patio section surrounded by trees which makes brunch on a February afternoon seem like you're relaxing in paradise.
Service there is very laid back. You place your order at the front counter, you're given a letter (N.C.O.U.N.T.E.R. which I thought was pretty clever) to bring to your table as you wait for a server to deliver your food. You serve your own drinks and retrieve any extra napkins or utensils you may need for your meal. Seating is all first come first serve based, and the restaurant is even dog friendly. I was really excited to see a cute Shitzu getting tangled up under a neighboring table.
The only thing that I didn't like was the line formation when ordering. Tables and chairs are set up down the center of the restaurant in an angular position and you are forced to maneuver your way around other guests as you walk to the back counter to place your order. Even there, space is limited; which results in you waiting in line- standing a foot away from customers trying to enjoy their meal.
Once in line, I was struggling with deciding on an meal. There is so much variety to choose from. I got to the counter expecting to see only breakfast items (waffles, pancakes, omelettes, etc) but they also offer a selection of soups, salads, and sandwiches.
For the most part, NCounter is a great spot to visit for brunch if you're in the Tempe area. I really enjoyed the ambiance and the quick service. It's probably not something that I would necessarily make the trip for if I wasn't living in the area- but that also comes hand in hand with the fact that I hate parking on Mill. :)
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