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Shake Shack Burgers, New York City, a closer look
Aloha!
10/19/11 - It all started at this very location. The very first Shake Shack Burger House was begun right here in Madison Square Park only a few short years ago, in 2004. The park is one of the more lively ones in New York, as the giant crowds looking for some of the best burgers in town only adds to the already-bustling stretch of fountains, artwork, gorgeous landscaping, and people looking to see and be seen. The place is seemingly at the epicenter of a maze of different streets, each housing long, towering rows of Gotham-style, very picturesque buildings, all ending abruptly and precipitously at the park, emptying their live contents from every direction and angle, a steady stream of folks from all walks of life, pouring in like some sort of gigantic organic cachment. You really do feel like you're in the middle of a huge bowl, beautifully-appointed inside and framed on all sides by concrete walls!
Looking south from this iconic park points you in the direction of Wall Street and the financial district, while just across the street sits one of the most famous old structures in New York, the thin, triangle-shaped Flatiron Building (left side):
The tallest building in New York City when first built in 1905, its entirely steel framing and unique look created quite the commotion back then.
The opposide side of the park flanks the famous upscale shops of 5th Avenue, and points you to Times Square, Central Park, Museum Row, and all the other world-famous attractions uptown.
Upon arriving near noon, and with less than two hours before our Broadway Show (Memphis, at the Schubert Theatre, is truly spectacular!), we wondered if we would have enough time, seeing that the line was probably about 75-100-strong! Thinking it was an unusually busy day, we were surprised to overhear another group, also waiting, saying how short the line really was! Whaaaat?
Luckily, it moves along pretty darn quick considering the amount of people, and menu signs along the way ensure that everyone has decided upon their orders before stepping-up to the window.
Part of the well-established Danny Meyer's group of restaurants, the Shake Shack is truly a politically correct operation, and I'm not saying that in the normal negative way. Regarding foods, sometimes the term actually isn't a 4-letter word! I mean, politically correct ingredients are all part of the natural, farm-to-table movement, and that's aaalll good! Here's what Shake Shack says regarding the topic:
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"The Shack uses high quality ingredients from the freshest sources, in season, whenever possible. We make all our own custard flavors, sauces, ’Shroom Burgers, lemonade and most of our mix-ins. Our beef is ground fresh and hand formed daily right here in New York City!" |
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And they even take it one step further, going super-green!
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"We buy 100% of our electricity through sustainable wind power. We recycle our grease into biodiesel. We raise money through our green retail sales for projects like planting trees. When we build a new Shack, we use as many sustainable materials as possible. It’s a start!" |
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See the plants on the roof?
Like I said, I guess in the foodie world, political correctness isn't all bad!
But let's get straight to the heavy. The 100 percent Angus beef, the hand-formed patties made fresh daily, the potato bun. After all the carefully-planned, well-thought-through operational structure, how does this burger really stack-up?
Well... Pretty darn high, actually!
Yeah, they may be small in size, but at $3.50-$4.50 for a single patty burger like you see above and $5.50-$7 for a double, they are still quite the bargain, especially here in NYC! One of the really interesting things about Shack burgers is the total simplicity of it all. I mean, you'd figure a modern, well-oiled machine like this would carry fancy burger-stuffers like wild mushrooms, applewood smoked bacon, and foie gras, or perhaps cheeses of gruyere, goat, and feta, or maybe sauces of sun-dried tomato aioli, basil pesto, and chipotle cream. In fact, the only other ingredients in these burgers are all included in our burger above - tomatoes, onions, lettuce, American cheese, and a single variety of Shack sauce! To me, though, I think their simplicity is actually their genius. Realizing the sheer volume involved here, there's no way that line could move nearly as fast if they carried all kinds of other ingredients, and with the prices they charge, they must rely on volume to make any kind of money.
As great as their patties were, the first thing I noticed was the potato bun. It was soft and silky yet pleasantly chewy in texture, and very different in taste or texture from a normal wheat bun. I totally loved it. Everything else just kinda blended into the whole, but that was a good thing, resulting in everything a classic burger should be. It's the kind of every-day meal done flawlessly, and if ever they came to the islands, you can bet I'd be tempted on a daily basis!
Here's a look at their fries, classically crinkle-cut. Not quite as memorable as their burgers, but being that they utilize Yukon Gold potatoes and promise the complete absence of any trans-fats whatsoever, they were still excellent!
Like their burgers, there's not a whole lot of variations on dogs, either. There's a loaded and un-loaded bird dog, using smoked chicken and apple sausage, as well as a Vienna dog with sauerkraut and a Vienna dog called a Shack-Cago, with Shack relish, mustard, onion, cucumber, pickle, tomato, sport pepper (whatever that is!), and celery salt. We chose the latter ($4.25):
These Chicago-based Vienna dogs are found in different spots in Honolulu, as well. Personally, I find them a bit too sausag'ee, and prefer the one dog I don't think anyone else can compete with, also based in Chicago - Eisenberg's!
The dogs here are pretty much of the came, saw, and conquered kind of deal, as I'd recommend sticking with burgers for anyone coming for the first time.
Interestingly, there's another completely as-of-yet-unmentioned line of treats that take up more menu space than anything else - frozen custards and concretes! The first is described as premium ice cream in soft-serve fashion, and comes in flavors of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, caramel, peanut butter, and Creamsicle. Concretes are described as dense frozen custard, blended with even more flavors, like hot fudge, chocolate truffle cookie dough, banana, and marshmallow. And btw - they cost just as much as the burgers or dogs!
Not much to see, but here's a very refreshing Creamsicle frozen custard:
I'd say while in New York, Shake Shack is a must. The only possible negative is a long line, but it does move pretty quick, and the beautiful park atmosphere makes your wait all the more tolerable, even enjoyable at that. The great quality, fresh ingredients, house-made products, low prices, and simple, naturally delicious foods really do make the place a no-brainer.
Well, it's one more stop I'll be sharing in New York, and it's a good one. The place is owned by one of the most heralded chefs in town, a transplant from France, yet who has been a trail-blazer and icon in this amazing city for over three decades!
Take care, and Aloha till next time!
Aku
