Saturday, July 19, 2008

Burger Contender #1: Shake Shack, NYC



So remember that post about the great burger debate? Here's a place to fuel the fire.

So we've talked about how the burger comes in all shapes and sizes. Also how a place like California has a long and distinguished burger tradition thanks to the fascination with the drive-thru. Consequently, New York City doesn't have a great burger tradition, with things like deli sandwiches and street hot dogs occupying the ranks of city institutions.

Enter Shake Shack, a stand in Madison Square Park run by the Union Square Hospitality group, which is home to the legendary Gramercy Tavern, one of New York's top restaurants. With Shake Shack, Danny Meyer has come upon a great concept of a simple burger stand in a refreshing park setting in lower Manhattan. On temperate summer days, like the day I went, it's quite an ideal spot to be.

The burgers, however, are superior. Flavorful patties that are juicy and succulent. Creamy and tangy shack sauce. Fresh toppings. Certainly, this burger excels at the required elements. I ordered the Shack Stack, which is a double cheeseburger with a 'shroom burger in the middle. The 'Shroom burger is a breaded, deep-fried portabello with muenster and cheddar cheeses cooked inside. It squirted some of the cheese out on my first bite, which made for some nice dip for the crisp fries.

The shakes are rich and creamy, and come in different varieties, most notably the "Shack Attack" consisting of chocolate custard, hot fudge, chocolate truffle cookie dough, Valhrona chocolate chunks, and, for good measure, chocolate sprinkles. That even makes me, a baker and lover of all things dessert, gasp.

So NYC's burger tradition begins with this wonderful stand in Madison Square Park. It's crowded at all hours, but for good reason. I really can't think of a much better way to spend a non-muggy summer day in NYC than taking in a Shake Shack burger, a shake, and simply kicking back and watching the people go by.

1 comment:

Passionate Eater said...

You just transported me back to a classic Americana diner of the 1950s with your descriptions of those shakes and burgers. Thank god my wedding diet is over--I'm gonna go get me a burger!