Shake Shack @ NYC

Sinking my teeth into a famous NYC burger....

*stretch*
Sorry it's been a while since my last update - have been drowning in work and Real Life since coming back from New York..

Anyway, *TAH-DAH!* This is my first NYC post. :)

One of the best guide books that my friends Josh & Pris lent me was the Zagat book - short on time and with that being my first time in NY, it was an absolute Godsend.

Of course, many restaurants in that book were completely out of my budget range/ out of the way, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a simple (almost fast food-y) and conveniently located eatery listed as one of the best burger places to visit:
Outside the Shake Shack on the Upper East Side....
Obviously, a lot of New Yorkers are also in on this fact, as Shake Shack, which has 5 branches at various locations around NYC, was PACKED:
Long line at around lunch time....
Some subsequent Googling revealed that the lines at Shake Shack are pretty infamous actually. We were pretty lucky though, since we went at a slightly off peak hour, so it didn't take too long (10mins at most) and we were given a Shake Shack Buzzer after we made our order/payment:
When it shakes, then it's your turn :)....
A short wait and a buzz later, we collected our orders. :)

Admittedly, the Single Shackburger (USD 4.50++) is not much to look at - just a simple burger, wrapped in some waxed paper:
Zero points for presentation. lol....
The taste was also very simple, but I mean this in the best way possible. :)

No fancy ingredients - lettuce, tomato slices, cheese, bun and a meat patty - same as any other burger but perfectly executed, with all the necessary parts just right: crisp, fresh, oozey, fluffy and juicy (in that order).

The star of the show was definitely the patty - freshly ground meat (a mix of sirloin and brisket), lightly charred on the outside, moist inside and fragrantly beef-y. All in all, a delicious mix of delightfully straightforward flavours.
(Yummy! And you can wash it down with an order of beer or wine - something you can't find in a Malaysian fast food joint)
:D

The Fries (USD 2.65++) were also pretty yummy - crinkle cut, fresh taters that were crisp on the outside and still fairly moist inside:
(Online reviews seem to indicate that the quality of the fries can be a bit erratic though)
Deep fried carbs are so delicious when done well....
There are also a few hot dogs on the menu - the Bird Dog (USD 4.40++) was just kinda normal though. Nothing to really fault, but it just paled in comparison to the burger:
(LOL. So cute - It's named as such because it's a chicken sausage)
Is it a bird? Is it a (hot)dog? No! It's a Bird Dog!....
I also did not really like the dessert I had - Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunchcrete (USD 6.50++):
A very sinful treat....
When I saw that it was a mix of Chocolate custard, peanut butter sauce, chocolate toffee and chocolate sprinkles, I thought it was a sure winner (since I love chocolate and peanut butter).... but this thick dessert was just way too sweet for me to really enjoy (and I don't even want to start thinking about how many calories are in it).

It makes me kinda sad just looking at these photos and thinking of New York.... I really hope I have the chance to visit it again soon.
(Here's hoping that the world doesn't really end in 2012!)


Still suffering from PHB (Post Holiday Blues),
J

So, it's: Simple, yummy burgers for fairly reasonable prices BUT limited menu and it's a popular place so be prepared to wait for a table....

Summary Information:;
Shake Shack @ NYC

Opening Hours: 11am - 11pm
Phone: +1 646 237 5035
Address: Various, but the one I went to was at 154, East 86th Street (between Lexington and 3rd Ave)
Website: Official website

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OTHER REVIEWS:
- Richard Elliot's Blog
- Runner's Kitchen
- The Sowmya Life
- Food. By Mark.
- Tripadvisor

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Hamburger, NYC, New York City, PJ, Travel, Holiday, American, Cheap Eats, USA, Kuala Lumpur