Burger Wars Episode LXXIV: The Shack Invasion [BurgeReview]

I’ll have the, ah, turkey club without the bacon

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Soup”)

The burger trend in London is still strong. You still have new burger joints, pop ups, street vendors opening places, and don’t forget the food festivals where at least one burger trader is a must. One widely expected opening was no doubt Shake Shack. The mythical NYC burger joint opening in the rainy city seemed impossible years ago. Who would have thought that Danny Meyer’s hot dog cart would have transform into a burger empire conquering not only USA but Middle East, Turkey, Russia, and London.

Shack Staff

Domo Arigato Mr Shackboto

I waited long to have the British shack burger, as the queues were humongous. But finally saw my opportunity, fourth months after their opening in July while wandering in the area no queue! The chosen one was a double SmokeShack, a cheeseburger with Wiltshire cure smoked bacon, cherry pepper, and their sauce.

The SmokeShack

The verdict, nice burger, good flavours, straight forward greasy American burger, same quality as their Manhattan siblings

The damage, 9 quid for the double bacon and cheeseburger

The conclusion, good flavour, convenient location, it was like having a déjà vu from my visit to Madison Square Park. Cheese fries were ok, a bit saggy to be honest. Lovely burger  even though it was well done, but not worthy of 20+ minutes queue, unless you’re a die hard fan of Meyer’s chain, then this is your place for sure. I will give Danny’s place a 8.5 in my scale

Burger time

Shake Shack

T: 020 3598 1360

Burger Joint

Approx Damage: £15pp

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: City of Westminster

Twitter: shakeshackUK

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NYC Burger Institution

If you talk about a burger in New York one of the first things that comes to mind is Shake Shack. Currently 12 restaurants 7 of them in the Big Apple. Everything started in 2004 in Madison Square Park thanks to Danny Meyer. The place offer a 4oz proprietary blend of premium beef burger topped with tomato, lettuce, ShackSauce, and American cheese, on a grilled potato bun. Apart from that dogs, fries, and custards. 

The Place at Madison Square Park

I went with The Chief, the queue wasn't so bad even though it was an amazing day. The queue is so long that you can see it from the website thanks to the Shack Cam to decide the best time to drop by. 

Mer Shack dise

I ordered the Shack Burger, fries, and a dog. The burger is perfect for purist, an American classic, the beef is spot on, the juices, the flavour, the balance, Shake is like the old testament for American burgers. The dog was good, nice flavour, good touch with the kraut, finally fries were perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside. 

The Order

A perfect place for a burger during a sunny day in the Big Apple. 

Dog

Burger and Fries

Burger Perfection

Shake Shack reminds me the first episode of Seinfeld “The Seinfeld Chronicles” 

Jerry: Seems to me, that button is in the worst possible spot. The second button literally makes or breaks the shirt, look at it, it's too high! It's in no-man's land, you look like you live with your mother 

George: Are you through? 

Jerry: You do of course try on, when you buy? 

George: Yes, it was purple, I liked it, I don't actually recall considering the buttons 

Jerry: Oh, you don't recall? 

George: Uh, no, not at this time. 

Jerry: Well, senator, I just like to know, what you knew and when you knew it

Shake Shack

T: +1 212 889 6600

Burgers

Area: Flatiron

Borough: Manhattan
Twitter: shakeshackfans

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NYC + Live Jazz + Ribs = Blue Smoke

I went to NYC and had the chance to catch up with a good friend from my MSc, the Chief as we call him took me to a barbecue place called Blue Smoke, part of Danny Meyer’s USHG group which includes great restaurants in the city such as Shake Shack, and Union Square Cafe. I immediately became a believer of the place, live Jazz downstairs, mouth watering pit barbecue, a bake shop, and the command of Chef and pitmaster Kenny Callaghan. 

The Place

Inside

Lunch Time

I have been a couple times, and I ordered both times basically the same, so you can imagine how good it is. First chipotle chicken wings, a classic, blue cheese dip, these wings are between the best I have had, the chipotle gives a great flavour, and the blue cheese is dense and rich. Finally I got the rib sampler with a side of Mac & Cheese, so you don’t have to decide which rib style to order, Memphis baby backs, Kansas City spare ribs, and Texas beef ribs, all together coexisting, it’s awesome, the combination of styles is like porn in your mouth, juicy spicy and sweet from KC, lean Memphis style, an smoky salty and peppery Texas style. 

A Local Pint to Wait

Wings

Ribs

Mac & Cheese

A great place, excellent food, good service, nice local beers on tap, and the chance of listening Jazz only stairs away, in conclusion my kind of place. 

Door to the Jazz

Chicken reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Chicken Roaster” 

Kramer: What? 

Jerry: The light! 

Kramer: Oh the red, it’s the chicken roaster sign, its right across my window 

Jerry: Can't you shut the shades? 

Kramer: They are shut

Blue Smoke

T: +1 212 447 7733

Area: Flatiron

Borough: Manhattan

Twitter: BlueSmokeNYC

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