New York's Heralded Shake Shack: Shaking My Stomach by Surprise

August 7, 2009 6:39 pm

New York's Heralded Shake Shack: Shaking My Stomach by Surprise

$Behind the Burner: New York\'s Heralded Shake Shack: Shaking My Stomach by Surprise$

I always pictured heaven as some place high above full of bright lights, puffy white clouds, smiling angels, and of course, every dream I could possible ask for turning into a reality. Well last Wednesday, I realized you don't need to die to encounter heaven. From work, I hopped on the B and headed up town to West 77th and Columbus where I visited burger heaven!

In honor of its September Special Issue, Saveur Magazine hosted its Summer Party at New York's latest burger home, Shake Shack. I entered expecting to try a fry, sip a cliché milkshake and have a good ole American burger. I had read up on Hailee Moore's recent review on Behind the Burner and knew the food would be tasty. But what I encountered exceed all expectations. I entered an adorable little restaurant where an aroma of meat paradise immediately made my tummy growl. I was then welcomed by Saveur's friendly hosts and greeted by multiple staff members of Shake Shack, offering me what any hungry young woman could not resist: burgers, dogs, shakes of all flavors, fries, frozen custard, ice cream and of course the famous Arnold Palmer, half iced tea, half lemonade delicious duo. Well in about two seconds of my eyes meeting the food, I said farewell to my diet for the afternoon and indulged on all this flavorful shack had to offer.

First I took a hold of the Shroom burger paired with some crunchy ridged fries. "Hey a veggie burger— the diet is still intact!" or so I thought. The burger looked brown, rather than the black charcoal norm, so I was a little worried. Well, after one bite, the worries went poof! Smothered in Portobello mushroom flavor with a perfectly seasoned crispy texture, oozing with Munster and cheddar cheese, I thought the term "Shroom" burger was the perfect label. I've never tried the drug, but the "high" this burger gave definitely beat out any "trip" I would have received otherwise.

Next, I tried the classic Shack burger. I was pleasantly satisfied. I guess you could say it was all about the meat
—juicy, cooked medium, and adorned with lettuce, tomato, American cheese and of course, Shack sauce. The sauce tasted of mayo, with a bit of a sweet tang. For me, it made the burger. Yet, what really made my taste buds explode was what is called the "Bird Dog," a smoked chicken and apple bratwurst take on the traditional hot dog, topped with jalapeños and mustard. Although the spice made my mouth yearn for a water hose, I can honestly say I have never experienced a hot dog like that in my life. I was then told to try the New York Dog, a bit more fitting for the reserved side of my mouth. This Vienna all beef dog was pretty average until my mouth realized how much it enjoyed the Schaller and Weber Sauerkraut and mustard as toppings This dog definitely got my tail wagging!

Surprisingly, what I could not get enough of most was the French Fries. These 25 percent less fat Yukon Gold Potatoes seemed to go perfectly with every meat entrée offered. They weren't anything crazy or curly or deep fried in onion and garlic flavored as some burger joints try to impress you with. They were just plain good—simple and light enough on the salt with a perfect seasoning that made my hand seem as if it was under some magical wand control, reaching for a fry about every, oh, .5 seconds. I even managed to dip my fries in every flavored shake, I always recommend doing this when you have both at hand. There is something about the salty, sweet hot to cold combination that just forms harmony inside your mouth.

Now clearly the shack wouldn't be anything without its shakes. I took full advantage of all the tastings—strawberry, vanilla, chocolate and okay ready for this...BASIL! I at first was thrilled to see a green shake standing in the midst of the chocolates, thinking they served pistachio or mint chip, two flavors I highly adore. When I asked to make sure, I was told it was basil. EW? Well, being one who likes to say she's tried everything, I took a sip and found myself a new love. This basil pureed frozen custard was far from your puke green flavor. The first sip came as a bit of a shock, but soon I found myself wanting more. A sweet basil frozen, creamy beverage really makes for the perfect summertime shake. Besides, in a way it is herbal, so it even tricks your mind to thinking you're drinking healthy (whoops!).

After some mingling over these scrumptious eats and reading Saveur's Burger Bible issue, I gained more than just some weight. Rather, I also filled myself with a beef load of insight on the significance of the burger for the America people. There's really nothing like a burger, shake and some fries to remind you of the goodness of simplicity in life, even if it means committing a calorie crime for a day (so what!) Most of the best burgers we've tried were made right in our own backyard grill. I guess for New York, even a "shack" truly can be the best of homes.

Shake Shack, Upper West Side
366 Columbus Ave. (at 77th Street)
646.747.8700

Shake Shack, Madison Square Park
Southeast corner of Madison Square Park,
Near Madison Avenue and 23rd Street
Park New York, NY 10010
212.889.6600

Shake Shack, Citi Field (Home of the New York Mets)
12301 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing
citifieldshack@shakeshack.com

—Joanna Weinstein