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| - I've been meaning to hit up Shake Shack ever since I bought my man a copy of Pat LaFrieda's book, Meat, as a Christmas gift a few years back. [For those who aren't super geeky about these things, Pat LaFrieda is the master butcher responsible for the meat blend used in Shake Shack's burgers.]
Unfortunately, the chain has yet to make it to Utah, and every time I've seen one while traveling, I haven't been able to make it work with my schedule. So, on a recent trip to Scottsdale, I was very pleased to see that there was a location (Kierland) in the shopping area right below the office I was visiting.
Now, I've heard people draw comparisons between In-N-Out, Five Guys and Shake Shack. [Check out a fairly in-depth dig by none other than Mr. Kenji Lopez-Alt of Serious Eats http://aht.seriouseats.com/2011/05/in-n-out-vs-five-guys-vs-shake-shack-the-first-bi-coastal-side-by-side-taste-test.html BUT, just for full disclosure-- this article is a bit dated and doesn't represent the current size of the growing SS empire, nor does it cover some pretty major menu updates. That said, *SPOILER ALERT,* SS takes the win, and if the article were updated with the new additions to the menu, SS would have completely crushed the competition.]
As for my own take on the three-- I'm always down for an In-N-Out burger (their fries just plain suck, sorry-not-sorry) and you can't beat their prices. And Five guys? Well, I've only tried them a few times, and each time I did, I just felt like the food was sort of... "meh" and definitely didn't warrant the hefty price tag. So, now that I can officially comment on the Shake Shack piece of the puzzle-- SS wins. Hands down. No contest. Like... I'm actually feeling a little relieved that there isn't one too close by, because I'd be tempted to eat there daily.
The ShackStack was BOMB--the chopped cherry peppers killed me. My man got a ShackBurger just to... get a standard baseline. He totally loved it (and went back without me after I left town... brat). We had to try some crinkle-cut fries (loved), and I treated myself to a nice, cold, very tasty beer ("Shackmeister Ale," custom-brewed for SS by Brooklyn Brewery, and on tap, no less). They even have a house red & white, created just for them by a very reputable winery (Frog's Leap) in Napa! What the...?! If I hadn't been so full, I would have loved to try a shake or concrete, all of which sounded lovely.
Look, is it the cheapest burger in town? Nope. But, unlike the aforementioned & overpriced Five Guys, it's actually worth it. For this category of restaurant (what would you call it... high-end fast-food, maybe? I keep seeing it referred to as a "roadside burger" style, which works, I guess) it's totally spot-on. You can't beat the quality, the selection or the execution. And... BONUS-- they have booze! It was all on point. This particular location also has a stellar patio and was extremely clean as well.
I see some people complaining, but to me it seems akin to people who go to a new pizza place and expect a Chicago-style deep-dish "pizza" and are subsequently horrified to see a Neapolitan-style pie land in front of them. It's not their fault, they just didn't know that they were ordering a real pizza (sorry, Chicago #notpizza ).
I'm not trying to diminish anyone's opinion or experience, I'm just saying that, in my humble opinion, this place is the pinnacle of burger-joint perfection, and I will now be making more of a point of seeking them out wherever I roam.
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