So there is quite obviously this craze right now about burgers. Burgers burgers everywhere. Not that I have a problem with it, I think they are delicious! But as my efficient German husband pointed out… there are new burger places opening all over the place at a ridiculous rate and not all of them are so amazing.
First of all, I guess I have a problem with all the American chains popping up at the moment, proclaiming to be the best (or at least I would imagine they are if they are bothering to open branches all the way over here!). I wouldn’t have a problem if I thought that a burger was some gastronomic delicacy that could only be wrought to perfection by the hands of an American (or an American recipe at least), but this is simply just not the case. Secondly, someone decided without telling us that burgers are gourmet and expensive (not mentioning GBK – a definite yuck!) like Burger & Lobster, which has an ok burger option and the lobster roll quality can vary depending on your luck.
So far I had been eating burgers infrequently without paying so much attention, but now I am definitely paying attention to what makes it a properly good burger. After the rantings of ze German about the price of all these inconsequential tasting burgers at extortionate prices (£15 range) I started to pay attention after we went to Shake Shack the other week.
In case you don’t know, Shake Shack is a relatively newly opened American burger joint in the heart of Covent Garden (a few other locations opened soon after). I had heard that since it opened, you had to queue for ages and that it was really good. I am British but remarkably, I don’t like to queue… so I thought this was a meeting not meant to be. However, TrEating my husband to a new guitar (rather belated xmas gift that we bought at a great shop called Macari’s on Shaftsbury Avenue) we ended up being in the West End at 11am with a need for a food fix. Checking out Shake Shack’s info online, it was about to open so we head over.
The excitement was mounting – finally getting to check it out!! I was drooling over the menu as the staff had a team meeting before opening. Hmmm ShackBurger? ‘ShroomBurger? Concrete? It definitely looked enticing. Finally I opted for a classic Shackburger and Peanut Butter Shake, sharing fries with ze German. We ordered and sat down with our buzzer to wait for our meal…
What can I say… the burger meat was tasteless. The bun was a bit of a surprise and I don’t know how I felt about it considering that the meat was such a non-event. It was a bit like a brioche and a sweet soft light bun could have been a great complement to a meaty chunk, but it just wasn’t a good match. The signature ShackSauce could have just as esaily not have been in there – no taste at all. The fries – crinkle cut and nothing more to say on that! I can say however on a better note, that the peanut butter milk-shake was pretty damn good (although probably a week’s worth of calories)!
Ze German was once again fuming at the hype around another useless burger, didn’t even finish his… lots of muttering going on there! With my facebook update on the day, even my US friends got involved with the reviewing and agreed that it was poor for a burger. For me, no I probably won’t return to Shake Shack for a meal or recommend it, but – I just may try a concrete/ custard/ Milkshake the next time I wander by and there isn’t a queue… I am sure American Obesity was built on stuff like this – nom nom!
I still think the chilli burger at Byrons and the Goodman Burger at pretty good from those I can recall as above average. Watch this space for more burger wars until we find some winners!
