359 replies to this topic

[Todd36]

Tom Colicchio is in both and I have difficulity believing they are run as two entirely seperate organizations.

They are run as two entirely seperate organizations.

Yup, I can confirm that as well.

You probably have correct and accurate inside information. Still, I would expect that they share certain things in common, like design and favored construction contracters. I would also assume that TC's has some influence over how the kitchen is run in both Craft and GT, which is rather important when considering health code violations.

Bottom is that I work rather close to Shake Shack and have eaten there a number of times. It's not bad, but not that good either. Not worth the hype or the line, which I think are the produce of a good marketing group and an unusual location. Try NY burger on Park Avenue South, it's pretty decent with less of a line and looks cleaner, at least to me. Don't know what the health department thinks. And I don't like the way Shake Shack gets its deliveries....

[Nathan]

the dogs are indeed Old Vienna.

as for a pre-made custard mix. maybe. the custard isn't as good as say Leon's...but it's the equivalent of Kopp's.

With that said, um, where else in the NY area does anyone serve Wisconsin style custard?

The burger is also a midwestern-style butter burger...which some won't like. but it's one of only a couple places in the area that serve it.

[rooftop1000]

I have it from reliable sources the rodents have separate organizations as well.

oh hell in NYC the rodents have Unions



T

[freshherbs]

Most traditional Chicago style dogs do not include cucumbers either.

At least according to this Wikipedia entry, a traditional Chicago-style dog is: "a steamed or boiled all-beef, natural-casing hot dog on a poppy seed bun, topped with mustard, onion, sweet pickle relish in fluorescent green, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, cucumber slices or wedges, sport peppers and a dash of celery salt — but no ketchup."

they forgot the sauerkraut and, personally, i don't agree with the cucumber.

i think if it has lettuce on it, it certainly is NOT a Chicago style dog. If a pizza has sauce, cheese and lettuce, is it still a Neopolitana?

[TAPrice]

Most traditional Chicago style dogs do not include cucumbers either.

At least according to this Wikipedia entry, a traditional Chicago-style dog is: "a steamed or boiled all-beef, natural-casing hot dog on a poppy seed bun, topped with mustard, onion, sweet pickle relish in fluorescent green, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, cucumber slices or wedges, sport peppers and a dash of celery salt — but no ketchup."

they forgot the sauerkraut and, personally, i don't agree with the cucumber.

i think if it has lettuce on it, it certainly is NOT a Chicago style dog. If a pizza has sauce, cheese and lettuce, is it still a Neopolitana?

Freshherbs,

The beauty of wikipedia is that you can edit that entry (adding the sauerkraut and deleting the cucumbers), and then Steven no longer has his evidence.

Edited by TAPrice, 22 August 2006 - 04:48 AM.

[jm chen]

Glad I didn't read this thread (the part about gastrointestinal distress and health code violations, anyway) before stopping by Shake Shack last Saturday during a visit from out of town.

DANG that was a good burger, savory and soft with just the right amount of crust. Vanilla shake wasn't bad either. Taxi dog: well, next time we'll just get another Shack burger instead.

Is the mushroom burger a mushroom ON a burger, or just a mushroom? It was impossible to tell from the menu...

Edited by jm chen, 22 August 2006 - 02:02 PM.

[Sneakeater]

Just a mushroom.

[plattetude]

Just a mushroom.

Not exactly. It's a mushroom that's obscenely stuffed with cheese and onions and fried. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Christopher

[donbert]

SHAKE SHACK 2007!



Now with vibrators... I mean electronic notification!


Also featuring organic fries and custards with a whole slice of pie mixed in!

[jende]

SHAKE SHACK 2007!



Now with vibrators... I mean electronic notification!


Also featuring organic fries and custards with a whole slice of pie mixed in!

Makes me wish -- again -- that I lived in NYC. Love those brave souls dining al fresco!

[slkinsey]

Dude. Custard with a whole slice of pie mixed in?! Sweet.

[flinflon28]

Dude.  Custard with a whole slice of pie mixed in?!  Sweet.

They've been doing that on and off since '05. Blueberry was the best!

[donbert]

Dude.  Custard with a whole slice of pie mixed in?!  Sweet.

They've been doing that on and off since '05. Blueberry was the best!

I believe that it was just the filling before. Now it has the crust as well.

[flinflon28]

Dude.  Custard with a whole slice of pie mixed in?!  Sweet.

They've been doing that on and off since '05. Blueberry was the best!

I believe that it was just the filling before. Now it has the crust as well.

I worked there in '05 and we were using the whole pie.

[woodburner]

I followed this thread closely at the inception of the Shake Shack back in 05, now reading some of the entries from 8/06 and later, I am wondering if they have slipped? I'm going to NYC in a few weeks and this place was on my list for a posible lunch.
Do things seem to be on par so far this season?

woodburner

[BryanZ]

Just go for an afternoon snack if you're in the area; the burgers are small and relatively cheap anyway. The have a kiddie size custard that's more than adequate for sampling the flavor of the day. Makes a wonderful second lunch or pre-dinner.

[Sneakeater]

I don't think that Shake Shack slipped so much as it got so crowded that nobody goes there. If you go at meal times, the waits are insane. Nothing could be worth that.

[Nathan]

its only burgers, hot-dogs and custard.

there's nothing for them difficult to slip on.

the waits and buzz became insane because they offer three things otherwise unobtainable in NY:

custard, Chicago-style dogs and butter burgers (although they don't advertise them as such).

[tommy]

its only burgers, hot-dogs and custard.

there's nothing for them difficult to slip on.

if cooking good burgers, as the Shake Shack does, was a slam dunk, more places would be doing it. i think it's entirely possible that they could go downhill a bit. although i've not noticed any reports suggesting that.

[Nathan]

I just don't think a DM place could slip up on burgers.

[ned]

its only burgers, hot-dogs and custard.

there's nothing for them difficult to slip on.

the waits and buzz became insane because they offer three things otherwise unobtainable in NY:

custard, Chicago-style dogs and butter burgers (although they don't advertise them as such).

There's butter in those burgers!!!? Damn you Meyer.

[Nathan]

they taste (and look) like Wisconsin butter burgers (basically you put a pat of butter down on the burger while it's on the grill).

if they're not, they've somehow found the secret to replicating that taste without the butter...which would be awfully impressive.

[tetsujustin]

they taste (and look) like Wisconsin butter burgers (basically you put a pat of butter down on the burger while it's on the grill).

if they're not, they've somehow found the secret to replicating that taste without the butter...which would be awfully impressive.

maybe they put david burke's butter "fragrance" on it.

[Fat Guy]

I haven't been inside the Shake Shack kitchen in awhile, however a couple of years ago Rich Corraine (aka "RC," who is, or at least was, the closest thing there is to a person in charge of the Shake Shack) took me into the kitchen and demonstrated the preparation of a Shack burger. There was no butter on the burger -- just meat on the griddle -- however there was butter on the bun.

[ned]

There may have been no butter on the burger. . . but there sure could be butter in the burger. That's the way I do mine at home. And it is so good it will knock you on your arse.

[Nathan]

ah...the butter on the bun could do it..

(if the burger is sufficiently hot when the bun with butter is placed over it...the butter would instantly melt into the burger creating that butter burger crispness)

[Fat Guy]

As I recall, the butter was already melted into the bun.

[Nathan]

hmm...I wonder how they get that taste then...good for them.

[plattetude]

Well, butter = fat. We know that the patties are sirloin and brisket, presumably with a relatively healthy (or unhealthy, depending on your viewpoint) amount of fat. So maybe that's what makes it seem like a butter burger.

Christopher

[raji]

I hacked the Shake Shack burger last year - I don't have a meat grinder so I feverishly chopped the sirloin and brisket small enough so it would at least stay together. I think beef ground up just then makes most of the difference, like the difference between fresh ground pepper and the pre-ground powder... You're not going to have it medium rare because then the brisket is just too tough on the rare side, so the fat and connective tissue dissolving must also help the flavor... anyway, it's not rocket science and I do suggest you try it. Now I'm nearly swearing off the ground beef at the market because it just seems to lose most of it's flavor and if anything inherits the flavor of the foam. I'll be grinding fresh if I can from now on!