Bill Cianci's (Mostly) Burger Reviews: Shake Shack, Upper West Side, NYC

Where: Shake Shack, Upper West Side, NYC

What: ShackBurger

Build: Cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce

Comment: This week I was able to combine a fun team-building event at work with a new burger joint. While visiting the American Museum of Natural History I was able to steal away to The Shake Shack a few blocks away for a new blog entry. I've been dying to try the place out after all I've been reading and every time I've tried in the past I was met with what is now their signature "out-the-door" lines (and usually down the sidewalk). But today, the line was only "to" the door so in I went. The total wait was just shy of 20 minutes (for 1 single ShackBurger) which allowed for a lot of people-watching, something New York is great for and something that made the wait seem a lot shorter. Finally my wireless "food-is-ready" buzzer buzzed and I promptly grabbed my burger and made for a bench across the street at the entrance to Central Park West. I could smell that awesome old-fashioned rendered fat as soon as the bag opened and like a lunatic I spent quite a few moments just smelling the sandwich - turning the burger around and smelling... I'm salivating thinking of it. The meat is a proprietary blend of 100% pure Angus beef and I'm guessing the fat content is a 70/30 ratio or close to it. I'm always afraid this type of flat grill burger is going to be too salty (like most Smashburger joints) but this burger was salted to absolute perfection. The flavor of the meat was so delicious I was ticked off that I didn't order 2 or more. The burger is topped with fresh green leafy lettuce and 4 slices of ripe plum tomato. The ShackSauce goes on top and then the grease splattered bun on top of that. In a word, AWESOME. Again, with any near perfect burger, there's just not much to say other than go and eat it as fast as you can. 10/10.