Eat dishes inspired by your favorite drive-thrus at Counter- in Wesley Heights

Drive-thru-inspired favorites, like Crunch Wrap Supremes and Pumpkin Spice Lattes, are on the menu at Counter- in Wesley Heights.

Why it matters: Counter- is an upscale restaurant led by James Beard-nominated chef-owner Sam Hart with a price point to match. The last thing you'd expect to eat there is a Filet-o'-Fish. Except, the innovative menu is anything but what you'd expect.

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Context: The drive-thru menu, which is available through May 18, offers ten courses inspired by classic drive-thrus like Taco Bell, McDonald's and Starbucks, to name a few.

The menu is double-sided and comes with crayons for coloring. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

What to expect: The Counter- experience (and it is an experience) starts once you walk in the door. You're escorted into a room with a screen playing old fast-food commercials, giving you a preview of what you're about to eat. There, you're given your first course: a reimagined Crunchwrap Supreme topped with caviar.

The "crunchwrap supreme" — caviar, masa, sour cream and scallion. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

Counter- recently changed its format , and although its seasonally changing tasting menus essentially guarantee a unique experience with each visit, its new format is more interactive.

• Now, diners experience their dinner in three phases and are ushered through multiple rooms in the restaurant to complement the theme's storyline.

Go deeper: Get ready for Counter- 3.0. Charlotte's popular tasting menu restaurant is switching it up

The big a-- french fry. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

Try this: For an additional fee of $95, you can add the caviar enhancement, which includes an extra course: a scoop of caviar atop a "big a-- french fry."

• For an additional $75, you can add the truffle enhancement, in which Hart will shave black truffle atop several of your courses.

Sip on this: There's an option to add a spirit-free pairing with each course for $95. The third course, a snapper dish that plays on McDonald's Filet-o'-Fish pairs with a mocktail of lemon-lime simple syrup, lemon zest and sparkling tea that emulates the crispiness of a Micky D's Sprite.

• A global wine pairing option is available for an extra $105.
• If you're a wine aficionado, you might be more apt to try the "absurd pairing" for an additional $525. With this pairing, the in-house sommelier will pair rare, vintage and iconic wines with your courses.

Counter-'s filet-o-fish: Catfish, American cheese, tartar and brioche. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

Between the lines: From the interactive menu to the curated playlist , every element in the production is intentional.

Here, "Coffee" by Miguel plays while the team serves this trout dish with flavors found in the Starbucks PSL. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

Best bites: We can't skip mentioning the CFC (Counter Fried Chicken). The chicken thigh was one of my favorite bites, but the creativity in the presentation is the true winner here.

Yes that's a portrait of chef Sam in the style of KFC's Colonel Sanders logo. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

What's next: Counter- has a couple of themed dinners planned this Spring and Summer, including a tribute to the divas of the '70s, '80s and '90s (Cher, Dolly Parton and Whitney Houston to name a few) from May 22-June 1.

• After that, Counter- will run a Jay-Z-inspired tasting menu called The Blueprint June 12-22.

Go deeper: 5 things to know before eating at Counter-

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