in recent weeks, i have walked through madison square park nearly every day, sometimes twice a day, and i've marvelled that the shake shack has managed to sustain such a devoted and patient patronage. the line that snakes long around the seating area on the south side of the park has been a deterrent for me, yet it makes me smile quietly--it's a sign of spring, joyous congregation around...meat and milkshakes. i think it's sweet that people are still so enthusiastic about it. but i also wonder if they aren't the biggest suckers in town. friends have offered mixed reviews, from "meh" to "awesome" --it just hasn't been enough to inspire me to endure the wait.
but yesterday, my friend stephen proposed it as our "lunch adventure." he too has never wanted or had time to wait out the line, but it was a gorgeous day, since we haven't hung out since i was laid off, we could fuel our anticipation with some good catching up. and in that hour, we shared all kinds of good gossip (i mean, news) from the office. i think i even got a bit of color...
and then there was the food.
the shackburger is a bit more modest then i anticipated--it's small, but the single is probably a smart size for a mid-day meal. it's a handsomely assembled little burger (pretty tomatoes). the meat was tender, but a bit too done and lacking flavor. i am a ketchup fiend--fiend, i say--and my burger test is "how long can i go before i need some ketchup?" i have been to a few places recently--fatty crab, resto, 5 napkin burger--where the meat was so savory that ketchup would have only been a distraction. not so here. three bites into it, and it felt like the shackburger needed something to elevate it. the shack sauce was runny and indistinguishable. and american cheese is wonderful for adding smoothness, but something sharper could have helped here.
it seemed to be the overriding theme, as the fries were handsome and crisp, but missing flavor and salt.
but the shake redeemed everything. not that any of the food was bad, it was fine and good. one wonders, though, if it's enough payoff for the wait?
the shake makes it so.
