The guys on CNBC keep going on and on about Shake Shack like it’s the greatest thing since Orange Julius! But what do a bunch of New York money guys know? So since there is a Shake Shack near my hotel here in San Antonio, I decided to run a taste test.
I ordered their basic: A single ShackBurger with fries. The ShackBurger is actually a cheeseburger with tomato, lettuce and some sorta secret sauce. This is the same thing I always order at In-N-Out in L.A.
All it took was one bite and I knew that this burger was eons better than the In-N-Out burger. The Angus burger patty was grilled to perfection! The bun was soft and tasty and because it wasn’t sliced all the way through, the juices didn’t leak out and run down my fingers. The tomato slices were good. The lettuce, however, was totally limp–from being heated by the burger I suspect. And unlike In-N-Out no one asked if I wanted onions, grilled or otherwise.
If you don’t want a cheese burger they have a plain hamburger on their menu and will add tomatoes and lettuce, if you want. And the ShackBurger is available as a double-double.
I thought about ordering a strawberry frappe, but it struck me as being high priced for a fast-food milkshake, even with a fancy name like frappe. A little aside: when I lived in Massachusetts during the 1960s, frappes were strictly a Rhode Island designation for milkshakes. The term has now expanded way beyond their state of origin.
French Fries – New York vs. California
Next I took a bite of the fries. They were hard and overcooked and, I think, had sat for too long. I warmed them up and they were warmer but still hard and overcooked. So bad, actually, that I ended up throwing them away. They really have to re-think and redo their fries.
Better than either discovered in Texas
While the ShackBurger may beat the In-N-Out burger, neither can stand up the the best burger I’ve had on this trip. It came from the kitchen at the Good Coffee restaurant connected to the Quality Inn on Montana in El Paso. No idea why its called Good Coffee because it is a Mexican restaurant. And their super-delicious burger comes with a roasted green chile on top and very good fries. It was so good that I had it 3 days in a row. Sorry, I can’t find a photo of it.
And then there is a Cajun version
And, then I continued onward to Louisiana where I came across burger at BurgerSmith in Lafayette, Louisiana. And here it is with a side of salty garlic fries. Their fries are among the best I’ve ever had. The burger was much better than In-n-Out, too. So overall, In-n-Out did not fare well in this taste comparison. But it’s a California Thing.
Okay, one last thing: Does anyone know why the Shake Shack take-out bag seems (maybe) to have something to do with “Game of Thrones”. Is this some sort of Millennial take on the “Happy Meal”?
I’m still traveling, but planning to leave San Antonio tomorrow. Heading for Galveston, Lafayette in Cajun country, then on to New Orleans. You can see what I am up to at my blog Wandering Lady. Or go to my newest blog where I am now living in Tucson.
