Forgive me for the poor lighting on this picture. I sat in a corner at the only seat I could find in this burger mad house. I'll chalk it up to the Shake Shack (44th Street & 8th Avenue, NYC) for the low light situation too.Anyway, there you have it. After a long wait in a line that literally extends out the front door, tis is The ShackBurger, fries, and a chocolate shake.
Granted, this is not the original location (23rd Street & Madison Avenue). It still represented the brand name extremely well. For those of you who do not know, the original stand is the only establishment in Madison Square Park and is famous for having one of the longest lines in NYC. The wait rivals any NYC night club. The geniuses behind the Shake Shack even set up the "Shack Cam" on their website to assist the customers find out when to schedule their attack.
For a fast food joint, this burger was extremely juicy and the cheese was perfectly melted on the burger. The meat had great flavor, and the burger all together was so filling. It's far from your typical fast food restaurant burger. I only have 2 complaints:
1. the fries could be better (not that it's what people go there for, but as a compliment to the meal, it's important to have good fries)
2. the trays could be a little bit lighter
My favorite part of the meal: the chocolate shake. Now I'm not one to order a shake, but at a place called Shake Shack, you better order it and it better be the best thing on the menu. The shake was undoubtedly the best shake I've ever had in my life. Cold, creamy, chocolatey. If it wasn't so rich, I'd have had another one. But of course, to save my stomach for the rest of the night, I had to pass on the seconds. (What a shame!)
The potential number shenanigans that can develop on any given night in NYC are amazing. My friend and I decided to just relax our feet at Smith's Bar with a cold beer for him and a Jack and Coke for myself. But within 30 minutes and the flash of a phone call we were on our way to Sing Sing Karaoke. What an awkward scene. We walked into a private karaoke room full of strangers except for 1 girl, my friend's old co-worker.
Anecdote: It's unexplainable how the paths of long lost friends eventually cross one day in the future.
Anyway, our terrible singing didn't keep us there for too long. We quickly made an exit and walked up to 30th Street & 3rd Avenue where we found Banc Cafe. Do not be deceived by the name. On the approach to Banc, you could already tell what kind of spot this was. Music was bumpin'. People were in and out. The attire was casual (I walked in with shorts and a t-shirt). And upon entrance, the lively atmosphere drew you in quicker. The bar seemed to call our names. And order we did.
A few drinks down, a couple of trips to the restroom, and a few spilled drinks later...it was time to hit the road. It had been a long day already, and we were ready to stumble our way home. BUT... not without a trip to the world famous... Chicken & Rice at 53rd Street & 6th Avenue!
I'll leave you with the pictures. I heard there was another post coming soon....
Be on the lookout!
The day was a success. Our goals had been achieved. A one-day food, drink, and bar extravaganza had come to an end.
Until the next episode of temporary unemployment and freedom shows it's beautiful face, I'll be here, there, and everywhere. Cue The Beatles.
EPIC NYC Food Day, Part III, & the Experience:
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