Capri truly is a hidden gem stuck all the way in The Woodlands. A wedding rehearsal destroyed dreams of a table triumph last month. The second attempt at a slip-in win, without a reservation, resulted in yet another solid deny. After finally experiencing Capri recently, hype seeming silly, suddenly made sense.

Being seated in a cozy corner for one is just peachy. As Capri was about to tell its story of ultimate dining glory, one jump needing hurdle happened. Problem: There isn’t going to be wine slinging during dinner service in this building, hence wishing for wine is a waste of time. Ouch.

As the waiter assured potential wine purchase was only a few doors down, um, so began this particular mini mart moment.

Mini marts come and go in the world. We must appreciate their existence, as most mini marts are handy in dealing with the most unexpected needs. Mini mart wine selection? Not so much.

Hello Turning Leaf. Yikes. No one is implying that Turning Leaf chardonnay is gross. Maybe, just maybe, Turning Leaf is Sean Beck’s favorite chardonnay. Maybe Justin Vann can’t live without Turning Leaf, keeping a bottle by his chilled bedside fridge every night.

The only evidence proving this wine sucks is what my brain signaled to all possible places. This signal firmly states Turning Leaf is, in fact, gross. The way it usually works: If it costs $6, it’s going to cost a lot more the next morning.

P.S. Prepare to lock and load, as this mini mart forces feelings of scary.

Capri’s bread is crazy great. The best bread EVER. Just when it seems as though the shock of just how crazy great this gift is, there is suddenly more of the gift, but with an added extra.

Bread is the enemy, yet Capri immediately forces friendship, so prepare to surrender.

Capri’s app menu couldn’t be better. The bruschetta rustica app with toasted ciabatta bread, fresh garlic, olive oil and fresh diced tomatoes almost hurts. Besides offering calamari and caprese, the fried veggies app is available with lightly floured & fried  cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli and artichoke hearts. Most important must try app are the mussels sautéed in white wine sauce.

This side salad is called “regular.” People feeling better than regular — rejoice. Capri’s Mediterranean style salad is topped with jumbo shrimp on a bed of spring salad with black olives, carrots, green onions, sliced tomato and cauliflower.

Perfection cannot be rushed. <—— Wow. Glance at the menu and read this. People in a hurry should NOT order risotto. This dish of shrimp & scallop risotto delish is made using Arborio rice in a white cream sauce topped with parsley. If risotto is an unwavering want, Capri is the place to be. HEART!

Capri seals the deal with dessert minis. Rather than stuffing your face with one dessert, opt for many minis. Capri offers a traditional homemade tiramisu with coffee soaked lady fingers, as well as mascarpone cheese or panna cotta. Dessert toppings to be added are choices of chocolate syrup, chocolate chips, caramel syrup & walnuts, strawberry syrup & strawberries and espresso coffee powder.

There’s no living on the edge declaring this place worthy of five strawberries. Capri’s romantically comfy atmosphere and authentic Italian joy, easily deliver a whopper of an experience from belly to button. Even better, people in The Woodlands have an abundance of reason to rejoice, for Capri is spectacular Italian all the way.

FIVE: High 5!

FOUR: Please & Thank You

THREE: Yada

TWO: Double Wow

ONE: Wow + Ouch = Wouch

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In celebration of National Burger Month, The Counter launched a complete burger building competition. All that’s necessary is a picture of the built burger with a sassy name, as well as a list of each winning ingredient. If this burger is deemed spectacular, expect to receive a $??? gift card for future purchases.

While looking for the amount of the winning gift card, I stumbled upon contest rules totaling a whopping 1,966 words in 16 different sections. Isn’t this a bit extreme for a burger contest? Pain is what a person experiences with any type of fine print or massively long list of serious. Just make a burger and send a picture. No rule breakers allowed.

The Counter is positive they offer the ultimate burger, having hundreds of thousands of different combinations available. Decor plays a part in their mission to offer something a little different than the average Joe burger joint. Its vibe is healthy wine bar with a slight soda shop feel.

Fan of the build your own burger or not, it all works out in the end. Beneath the box option ingredients is a menu with lots of The Counter’s own burger combination creations.

Not in the mood for a burger? Try the grilled cheese trifecta with Tillamook cheddar, American, and Providence. Sharing space with a certain pig product are two other choices — grilled ham & cheese or a stacked BLT with garlic aioli.

Vegetarians rejoice, well, almost. The Counter’s Asian housemade veggie burger is served in a bowl with organic mixed greens, carrot strings, chopped red onion, grilled pineapple, roasted red peppers, scallions, ginger soy glaze, and peanut sauce.

While not sucking, it’s definitely not as good as Beaver’s Nut Burger, but a zillion times tastier than the veggie burger at Tommy Bahama’s. Another on the menu is the Unique Veggie served with red onion, organic mixed greens, roasted red peppers, sprouts, and Dijon balsamic.

Regular and sweet potato fries are listed in the starter section of the menu. We chose the fifty-fifty and had both. Their list of fries includes parmesan mixed with parsley, rosemary, and garlic aioli. Onion strings can be yours, as well as grilled vegetables brushed with olive oil.

Eww. This is a burger. Not sure what kind of burger this burger is called.

The best part of lunch arrived with the peanut butter & banana milkshake. The Counter offers a variety of flavors for ultimate shake joy. They also have floats with different soda options.

Whether it’s a shake or malt, this kind of happiness is a no brainer. The greatest conversation — ever — happened, jolting forth memories of exactly what was needed to send this shake into sensational.

The B added to the PB&J is none other than banana. There is almost nothing better than this addition to the best sandwich around. This sandwich is on the kids menu, but it didn’t seem to bother our server — since the cheap factor wasn’t in effect. Cheap rolls around when an adult is so cheap the attempt to order from the kid’s menu is denied. Our request was quickly approved since this was actually considered our dessert. Score.

P.S.  Service at the counter was fantastic from start to finish.

The Counter = Like. Like. Like. Like.

FIVE: High 5!

FOUR: Please & Thank You

THREE: Yada

TWO: Double Wow

ONE: Wow + Ouch = Wouch

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