Yes, I am here to blog about burgers, and adding my feminine flair where applicable. I have been here eating and reading for awhile now, and thought it best that I dive into this great discussion:

For my first feature, I traveled all the way to NYC to taste the tempting and oh-so-talked about Shake Shack. I Having first read about it and its infamously long line in the NYT and then when Naomi blogged about it here, I put it on my mental list of places-to-try-when-I-am-in-NYC-next.

On a warm Friday evening, we walked over to Madison Square Park giddy with excitement for this holy grail of burger stands.

As you enter the park, you spot the outdoor burger joint in the corner, under the leafy shade of trees above, illuminated by large strings of sparkly lights. And then you spot THE LINE. Its not pretty. Its long. Best to go with friends you haven’t seen in awhile so you can catch up as your stomach growls with hunger for the soon to be eaten burgers. The Line also allows for plenty of menu review, and while it is not as simple as my beloved In-N-Out, it is not too complicated either. I opted for the Shack Burger - American Cheese, lettuce, tomato, Shack Sauce. (I don’t eat tomato on my burger, personal preference). The chopped onions come on the side in a little condiment container. Negative points for no grilled onions…For my beverage, I was excited to taste this delight called the frozen custard shake. I got the chocolate and it was almost too chocolate-y, not that I knew there could be such a thing but it was a tad syrupy sweet for me. My friends ordered the mushroom burger which looked delicious – a crisp fried portabella oozing with melted muenster and cheddar. Definitely not a healthier choice, but a yummy vegetarian option.

Shack Burger (Diced Onions Come a la Mode)

So, the burger. On first glance, the burger is kind of small in size. I don’t know if this is because we are brainwashed by America’s propensity for extra large portions, but I already think I should have ordered a second, or at least a double. The patty is a good size in thickness, and cooked perfectly juicy and I liked the bunnage. The Shack Sauce was kind of a poor man’s imitation of In-N-Out’s secret sauce, sorry, but its true. It was orange and slightly tangy, but mostly just creamy.

Fries were yummy and in addition to frozen custard shakes you can get these things called Concretes, which are shakes blended with ridiculously rich mix-ins, kind of like a gourmet McFlurry? Toppings include Chocolate Truffle Cookie Dough, Shortbread Cookie and Chocolate Toffee. These are insane and more like dessert than a drink. I loved them instantly.

All in all, I loved the experience of eating burgers outside at picnic tables in a beautiful NYC city park on a warm summer evening. The burger, although small, is tasty, and with a side of crispy fries and a Concrete treat, it does fill you up. I love good milkshakes to compliment my burger. It’s definitely hyped (like most good burgers worth their fries) but I say its a must try on any visit to New York. And for New Yorkers, its a great dining experience (and an alternative to In-N-Out).

*Special thanks to my California Native/New York Dwelling hosts – Botch, Megan and Adrienne – who took me to enjoy my first Shake Shack burger!

Fortunately, the hotel I’m staying at in New York City is approximately two blocks away from this tiny bastion of burgerdom, located at 800 2nd Ave near the United Nations building in Midtown. I made the solo trek over there, determined to make my first burger of this trip a good one, and goodburger did not disappoint.

The menu options are simple, but exactly what I’d want from a burger joint: hamburger, cheeseburger, double, fries, shakes. Oh, and they have veggie burgers too, if you’re into that kind of thing. Burgers come topped with the traditional variety of veggies and cheese: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and cheddar. But its simplicity is really what makes this burger – and other similar chains – so excellent.

The burger was cooked exactly to my order, a feature not found at most fast food joints. Perfectly rare, yet not dripping with grease. Just enough juices to stain my bun, but not so much that it becomes a sloppy mess. The veggies were fresh and ripe, and added significantly to the flavor of the meat without overpowering anything. And just a dash of ketchup went a very long way. The bun was lightly toasted, and held together nicely as I bit into it. And I was pretty happy with the size of my single cheeseburger, not so big that I couldn’t bite into it, but not thin and flimsy like typical fast food patties.

Perhaps the most startling thing in my meal was how awesome the fries and shake were. The fries, your typical thin potatoes (think McDonalds), were freshly cut and cooked, and the light taste of oil and salt fresh out of the fryer was exactly what I needed with my burger. My vanilla shake, a creamy and sweet concoction that didn’t quite taste like ice cream, but not like milk either, added some much needed sweetness to the fat of the burger.

All this for around 13 bucks, not exactly cheap, but it doesn’t really break the bank either.

The moniker goodburger is about as accurate as you can get. This wasn’t the best burger I’ve ever eaten in my life, but significantly better than your typical fast food joint also. goodburger is a great place to stop in and grab a quick fix if you’re ever in Midtown (they have several other locations as well).

(This post via @phildesignart, via Urbanite, via Roboppy on Flickr)