April 26, 2009 8:33 pm

Classic New York

My quest to introduce my roommate to my New York before our impending graduation led us Below Delancey and back up to the Upper West Side where we have lived for the past four years. In just three short weeks, I plan to take Courtney to tour FAO Schwartz, Little Italy, classic bagels, cheap handbags and of course, the best burgers and fries west of the 59th Street Bridge.

The Shake Shack took lower Manhattan by storm in 2004, when they opened their windows to serve patient New Yorkers old-fashioned burgers, fries, shakes and fresh custard. Located in the center of Madison Square Park, the Shake Shack is a one of a kind eatery, as the food operators are enclosed within a "shack," taking orders from customers on one end and delivering the food to an ultra long line of hungry folks on the other end. The trick is to go before you are starving, so as to outsmart the line that can take upwards of forty minutes during the weekday lunch rush. Wrought iron tables are scattered around the Shack, using the treetops to act as a natural air conditioner as hungry patrons sip their beers and wait for the order to be up.

In order to truly enjoy the Shake Shack you had to be a very patient person, which I am not, so more often than not I would wait on line for ten minutes only to walk away in search of something that would nourish me before gray hairs grew in. However, that all changed last fall with the opening of another Shake Shack on the UWS.

Located about a mile north of my apartment, the UWS Shake Shack is a glass-enclosed restaurant with plenty of sunlight, I assume to mirror the atmosphere and appeal of the downtown location. When Courtney and I arrived I was thrilled to see that the place was close to empty, meaning no enduring patience required. We admired the large menu attached to the wall for a second and went in line to order.

Less than ten minutes later we got our draft root beers, Shack burgers, and cheese fries and took a seat in the glass atrium to feast.

The burgers are the perfect size, almost petite, which is ideal for me as I can never finish an entire burger. However, this burger I have no trouble devouring. The sweetness of the tomato balances the salty cheese and Shake sauce that is smeared over bun and burger alike. I have spent many a meal trying to guess what exactly the Shack sauce is, and thus far the best I can conclude is a mayonnaise base with a touch of ketchup and some other mystery ingredient. Either way, it is wonderful.

The cheese fries at the Shake Shack are my favorite in all of New York. The old-school crinkled fries are crisp and crunchy, but not at all greasy. They are dressed with the Shake Shack cheese sauce, which is a blend of cheddar and American cheese. It is divine. The cheese sauce is warm and moist paired with the crispy fries, coming together to create a little party in your mouth. Just as with the burger, I rarely leave behind a French fried crumb.

It is very rare that I drink soda, as it is full of empty calories and has absolutely no nutritional value, but a fountain root beer is just too good to resist. Whenever I munch on a piece of pizza and overindulge in Shake Shack cheese fries, a draught root beer washes everything down so nicely that I end up slurping up the last few drops, wishing I had ordered a larger soda.

Just as I suspected, Courtney also fell in love with the Shake Shack. Since introducing Courtney to my favorite burger in New York, it has become our little weekly treat, something cheesy and delicious to look forward to during a long workday. Next stop on Lexi's mini tour of New York: Little Italy.

Alexis Popov

Shake Shack

Madison Square Park
Southeast Corner of MSP near Madison Ave and East 23rd Street
New York, NY
212-889-6600

Upper West Side
366 Columbus Ave at 77th Street
New York, NY 10024
646-747-8770

— Written by Alexis Popov

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