My favorite burger from my favorite burger joint in the city, Shake Shack, used to be the single ShackBurger.
...Until this week when I decided to delve into the lower portion of the burger menu, specifically the last, most extreme burger: The Shack Stack, consisting of two cheeseburgers and a 'shroom burger topped with lettuce, tomato, and Shack Sauce. Yes, I split it with a friend—I'm not that gluttonous. Little did we know what fat-laced joys we were about to experience. Autopsy shot after the jump.
Crispy deep-fried breaded portobello mushrooms. Tender juice-oozing meat patties. Gooey blanket of cheese. All in the same glorious bite. It's an umami explosion that left my friend and me speechless, aside from the countless times we said, "HOLY CRAP, THIS IS SO GOOD, OH MY GOD."
Although I'd usually be against a burger whose height cannot be completely contained by the average person's mouth, this is an exception. It's not about balance. It's about combining varying textures—crispiness with meatiness with gooeyness—and dousing it in varying fats—mostly of the dairy and bovine sort—and then shoving it in your mouth however you can, and subsequently feeling like the happiest person in the world.
Unless you eat it by yourself, in which case you might feel really gross afterward. But split it with a friend and you're in Awesome Town.
Shake Shack
Madison Ave and East 23rd Street, Southeast Corner of Madison Square Park, New York, NY 10010 (map)
212-889-6600
366 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024 (at 77th Street; map)
646-747-8770
I like the 'shroom burger and love the double shack burger but I'm not a fan of the shack stack, just to many flavors for my taste. The mushroom/cheese overwhelms the beef.
The 'shroom burger is one of the greatest things I have ever eaten in my life. If I lived full time in the city I'd have one every week and I'd weigh a million pounds but I'd still be happy.
I got the stack with the mushroom and just one burger patty last time I was in NY- so good, but I felt extremely gross after (but I think it was worth it...)
@ag3208: I kind of nibbled on the bottom half, then moved onto the top half. Or vice versa. But yeah, cannot get the whole thing in your mouth without some jaw unhinging.
There is way too much cheese in the portobello fried deal. I had the Double Stack once and removed the shroom. Don't get me wrong, I still ate the fried goodness, just not on the burger. For me a burger is about balance between ingredients, too much gooey cheese. I'll take a Double Shack burger anytime.
the combo of meat, cheese, portobello and "fried" sounds amazing, but i feel like the 2nd patty is unnecessary. without it, maybe you could eat the whole thing without feeling disgusting.
in general, i have to say i am not a fan of over-stuffed sandwiches - part of enjoying a sandwich is being able to get everything in one bite without feeling like you have too much of anything.
While I agree that too big for the average mouth us usually a deal breaker, this (increasingly rare) pink on the inside bit of ground deliciousness probably will invade my dreams tonight.
Although I'd probably order the single patty, human mouth sized version.
I can almost smell the deliciousness in that photo.
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18 Comments:
that looks amazing!!!
llama at 12:42PM on 08/07/09
I like the 'shroom burger and love the double shack burger but I'm not a fan of the shack stack, just to many flavors for my taste. The mushroom/cheese overwhelms the beef.
metri8 at 1:50PM on 08/07/09
i had the shack stack last time i went to shake shack and yes i felt gross afterward and yes i had cheese fries with my order as well.
Ultrateg at 2:25PM on 08/07/09
The 'shroom burger is one of the greatest things I have ever eaten in my life. If I lived full time in the city I'd have one every week and I'd weigh a million pounds but I'd still be happy.
thedilettantista at 2:37PM on 08/07/09
I still cant believe that the veggie laced burger is the unhealthiest thing I ever ate there.
chef17 at 5:16PM on 08/07/09
I got the stack with the mushroom and just one burger patty last time I was in NY- so good, but I felt extremely gross after (but I think it was worth it...)
FamishedFem at 6:19PM on 08/07/09
You know that noise Homer makes when he starts drooling?
Yeah, that's me right now.
ratbuddy at 7:47PM on 08/07/09
oh yea that totally looks like awesometown.
foodinmouth at 10:14AM on 08/08/09
How does one eat this? Do you squish it down and unhinge your jaw? Or is this a knife and fork burger? Yes I said knife and fork burger :P
It looks so tall but so delicious.
ag3208 at 11:10AM on 08/08/09
SHACK STACK RULES!
momstheword at 3:42PM on 08/08/09
Nnnnnnnngghhhh!! I just had a mouthgasm.
AmazonGoddess at 4:32PM on 08/09/09
@ag3208: I kind of nibbled on the bottom half, then moved onto the top half. Or vice versa. But yeah, cannot get the whole thing in your mouth without some jaw unhinging.
SOOOGOOD.
Robyn Lee at 6:44PM on 08/09/09
The Double Stack is my Shake Shack drug of choice. It's only got one cheeseburger with the 'shroom, so it's got slightly less guilt!
tonisan9 at 2:19PM on 08/10/09
I'm drooling over this as I eat my SALAD...
Elizabeth3715 at 1:45PM on 08/12/09
I'm still waiting for "Shack Stack" to become a custard flavor.
James Boo at 11:50AM on 08/22/09
There is way too much cheese in the portobello fried deal. I had the Double Stack once and removed the shroom. Don't get me wrong, I still ate the fried goodness, just not on the burger. For me a burger is about balance between ingredients, too much gooey cheese. I'll take a Double Shack burger anytime.
nycsunflower at 9:11PM on 08/27/09
the combo of meat, cheese, portobello and "fried" sounds amazing, but i feel like the 2nd patty is unnecessary. without it, maybe you could eat the whole thing without feeling disgusting.
in general, i have to say i am not a fan of over-stuffed sandwiches - part of enjoying a sandwich is being able to get everything in one bite without feeling like you have too much of anything.
conspicuousconsumptions at 11:43AM on 08/28/09
While I agree that too big for the average mouth us usually a deal breaker, this (increasingly rare) pink on the inside bit of ground deliciousness probably will invade my dreams tonight.
Although I'd probably order the single patty, human mouth sized version.
I can almost smell the deliciousness in that photo.
biminitwst at 1:41AM on 09/02/09