Shake Shack marks the beginning of spring!

Shake Shack Burger, hot dog, fries!!

My first Shake Shack burger of the season comes fittingly on one of the first spring like weekends of the year!  With temperatures around 80 degrees last weekend, I figured it was a great time to test out that line in Madison Square Park.

I showed up around 5:30pm expecting a horrendous line (at its worst, I have waited north of 2 hours before!)  This time the line was surprisingly doable.  Ended up only being about 30-45 minutes.  By the time we got our food it was around 6:30pm.  Not too bad for those of you who are accustomed to such waits for Danny Meyer's famous burgers.

Now, some history on my burger eating background.  I did not grow up eating burgers.  I did not grow up liking ground meat.  I was a firm hot dog eater, not a burger girl whatsoever.  I'm not sure what it was and to this day I have never had a burger from McDonalds.

Only recently did I start to eat burgers.  And I think it was that mini slider I had last fall at Le Fooding, aka Pat La Frieda's Black Label Minetta Tavern Burger.

Now of course that was the mini version of the $26 burger served at Minetta Tavern.  Since then, I have gone back to the restaurant and had the full sized version a couple times.  Each time, it never disappoints.  So mind you - my burger eating began with a $26 burger.  I knew I had to start trying more affordable burgers.

But I'm loyal to Pat La Frieda.  Given my squeamishness around ground meat (I mean sometimes I just don't know what's in it!) I just trust anything with his name attached.

Since he is the king of the NY burger (read this interesting NY Magazine article on him), it's not hard to be loyal.  After all, it's his burger in The Stand, Spotted Pig, Minetta Tavern...and of course Shake Shack!

Anyhow - onto my Shake Shack burger.  A little on the small side, maybe I should have gone with the double - the burger was delicious.  Just as I expected.  Juicy, yet not too oily (am I crazy or does it seem like it's not that unhealthy?)  More of the size of a large slider, at around $4-5 bucks, it's neither cheap nor expensive.  But you probably need two to walk away full.  The only thing that could make it better is a toasted bun :)

Paired with fries that bring me back to high school cafeterias - who doesn't remember those crinkle cut fries!  And of course a thick chocolate milk shake...what a great way to start off spring with a bang!

Now if only every weekend could be so nice.

Shake Shack
Original Location
Madison Square Park

Check website for a Shake Shack coming near you!