Food Lover Fridays: Burgers at the Shack

in Food — 10/14/2011 10:21 pm | 2 comments

Make no mistake, wherever I travel, good food is always on my mind. With the vibrant food scene that is in Miami, I started planning some of my meals before I even got there. I knew that I would have incredible seafood paella, complete with clams, mussels, lobster, and octopus. I was certainly going to have some authentic Cuban food, one of my absolute favorites. And I was going to try one of Chef Govind Armstrong’s specialty hamburgers from his acclaimed restaurant, 8 oz Burger Bar. That was until a chance dinner on Sunday night led me to one of the best burgers I’ve ever had on Monday afternoon. Let me explain.

On Sunday night, I went to dinner at the Tudor House restaurant, located in the hotel where I was staying. Renowned chef and restaurateur, Geoffrey Zakarian was the visionary behind the restaurant and it did not disappoint. From the bar (I had my first Moscow Mule), to the appetizer, the entrée, and dessert, I was in a gourmet wonderland. However, as fantastic as the food was, my waiter, Victor made the meal extra special. Not only did he steer me towards some of the finer selections on the menu but we also talked about the city. He was a recent transplant to Miami from New York and had done a fair share of exploring Miami in the same way that I was now.

As my meal progressed, and Victor continued giving me his city recommendations, I informed him that I planned on hitting the 8 oz Burger Bar the next day. He stopped me right away and said, “No, no, no! If you want a great burger, I know exactly where you need to go!” I was intrigued because every menu item that Victor had suggested was a winner, especially the steak tartare. He told me that I needed to go to the Shake Shack on Lincoln Road and have one of their burgers instead of one at the Burger Bar. With Victor being a New Yorker and Govind Armstrong being a California native, I had to ditch the Burger Bar and head for the Shake Shack (Sorry Govind, maybe next time).

The Shake Shack has over a dozen locations on the US East Coast and in the Middle East! This particular branch was located on the tourist heavy Lincoln Blvd, of South Beach. When I walked in and approached the counter, I found out that the cashier was another New York transplant! We spoke for a while about his Miami experience before I asked him to guide me towards what would be my first Shake Shack experience. He recommended a single patty Shack Burger with fries and a “Fair Shake” - a vanilla shake mixed with Fair Trade coffee. It sounded like a plan to me so I agreed, took my “shaker”, and waited for my order to be ready.

While waiting, I was marveling at the fact that Shake Shack sells wine and beer to pair with the burgers. Though I was on a mini vacation, I’d already enjoyed a Mojito or two so the non alcoholic shake was fine for me. I researched their story a little on my cell phone and found out that Chef Danny Meyer had started this chain in 2004 with a sustainable, eco friendly product in mind. The first restaurant opened up in NYC to the delight of its neighborhood patrons before critical acclaim and other locations followed.

When my burger was ready, my shaker shook and I picked up my order. On my tray were the crunchiest fries that put Five Guys to shame, and the most flavorful and tender burger I could have asked for. I am not one to easily crown something “the best” but it certainly was a contender. The shake was delicious too but the burger was stand out. Every bite that included a soft bun, fresh lettuce, tomato, cheese and “Shack Sauce” was perfection. The meat, cooked to medium, was also accompanied by the onion and pickles I requested to make one heck of a delicious burger. Victor was right. I can’t speak on what was happening at the 8oz Burger Bar but this was darn good!

Shake Shack certainly delivered on a whole lot more than just shakes. With a juicy, tasty burger and fries that left me craving more, I almost didn’t mind the price tag associated with my meal. Lunch that day had run me about fifteen bucks. This was clearly more than I would ordinarily spend for a burger and fries but this was a special occasion, vacation meal.

Upon leaving the restaurant, I gave two huge thumbs up to the man behind the counter who had guided me towards the lunch I had just eaten. He smiled and signaled back as he was helping a few other customers who were about to treat themselves to a very special food experience. As I left Shake Shack, still thinking of those fries, I smiled knowing that this was a meal available to me at home, just a short train ride away in NYC. As much as I love burgers, Shake Shack would indeed see me again.

Now YOU try it! : If you get a chance to try Shake Shack, absolutely do it! Though they have a mighty good burger I am hesitant to crown it the “best”. You can find so many good burgers at an assortment of restaurants, diners, and even in your own kitchens. So I am looking to you Jarrodonline.com readers. Where do you think the BEST burger is? I want to hear from you, where are the best burgers you’ve ever eaten located? Leave a comment below and as always, thank you for reading! See you soon.