Shake Your Groove Thang

The Caramel Shake at the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park is like mainlining crème brûlée. Oh, so, good. The deliciousness comes from a fresh-made vanilla frozen custard and a superior caramel syrup. It is a perfect summer pleasure.

Perhaps there was no better way to literally shake off my pining for France than with Danny Meyer’s interpretation of all-American casual cuisine. I’ve visited the Shack twice over the past two weeks and I’m not sure if there is a better place to spend a summer evening in New York City. The joint serves concession classics – shakes, burgers, hot dogs, and fries, except with a little more flare and a lot more attention to detail. The shakes are made with an eggy St. Louis-style custard, the dogs (which I haven’t tasted yet) hail from Chicago, and the burgers contain ground sirloin AND brisket. I am told that the small scale of the burgers and the toppings take a cue from the Californian In and Out burger. The Shack also serves Brooklyn Brewery beer that can be legally consumed in their small seating area or illegally sipped on any number of park benches throughout the newly refurbished park. In the twilight hours, the place draws an after-work drinking crowd, baby stroller playdate groups, Danny Meyer fans, teenagers, and old folks --- in other words, everybody. Ah, America.