I have been making great progress so far crossing off many things from my 2012 to do list (for the complete list- http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html). Every time I do I feel a great sense of satisfaction especially when it is something I have wanted to try for a while. Even better than that is when I get to eat something delicious.
I had heard about “Steak ‘n Shake” for several months now. Since I tried Five Guys last year (http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2011/08/for-five-guys.html) and Shake Shack more recently (http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2012/03/for-shakes-and-shacks.html), I figured it was the final piece to the new trendy chains that serve burgers and fries. And who doesn’t love burgers and fries? So I was up to the challenge. After having a great experience at Shake Shack I figured I would love anything that had the word “Shake” in it. Plus it had that all too important validation from T.V.’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate” in the Between Bread episode. Marc Summers describes how this is his favorite burger and raves about the quality of it. I guess once you go steakburger you never go back.
From my understanding what
made this place stand out was that they only served steakburgers. Apparently a
steakburger is of a higher quality and taste. I do not know much about this but
I hear a lot of rave reviews. In my world a burger is a burger. But I am
willing to learn.
This chain has only just
opened its first location in N.Y.C. so I have been trying to work my way there.
I have been close many times but no cigar. That is until I saw the play
“Harvey” last week. It just so happens that “Steak ‘n Shake” is right around
the corner. I got to cross these both off my list on the same evening.
Now since I had never been
there and aside from Marc Summers, who went to one out of state, never known
anyone who has been there, I had no idea what to expect in terms of the
atmosphere. Would it be big or small? I had seen the menu online but I that
doesn’t really help. Whereas Shack Shake is infamous for their crowds and long
lines and even have a web cam for the main location. However I was going into
this experience cold and when you are a planner like me that is scary. But I
was a big girl and went for it.
From the outside it looks
like a diner from the 1950s. It is clean and cute and looks rather large in
size. I assumed it would be crowded but in my mind I also thought it would be
more like a restaurant and less like a fast food stand. When my friend and I
walked in I was immediately confused. The line was short and you placed your
order right away. The menu seemed smaller to me than the one I had seen online.
You were handed a buzzer while you waited for your order to be made literally
two feet from where you were standing. The seats that were closest in proximity
were taken so I went to the back of the restaurant thinking I could get seats
there. There looked like empty space. But when I walked to the back there was just
empty space, no seats at all. I didn’t understand the layout. There was maybe
fifteen seats total. I guess it was mostly a takeout restaurant. That is so not
the impression I was under.
But after only a few
minutes and without any stalking or violence on my part, I got a table.
Turnover was really quick. Our food was fast as well. Although we didn’t get
any of the shakes I could see the machine where they were made and other people
who had them. They looked like a cross between a McFlurry and an old school
shake that has whipped cream and a cherry on top.
The burgers looked and
tasted like regular burgers. You add your toppings as you like but they were
the usual choices. Condiments were ketchup, mustard, and/or mayo. There is no
special sauce like at Shake Shack. After I took my first bite I was waiting for
some great big moment of, oh that’s what a steakburger tastes like. But that
didn’t happen. Don’t get me wrong it was a perfectly good burger and larger
than at the kind they serve at Shake Shack. But it was average tasting. I
wouldn’t have known where it came from and honestly it wasn’t worth going out
of your way for. I am glad I didn’t end up having to.
The fries were the most
disappointing. They were cut into tiny bits and pieces and were so annoying to
eat. I had put some in my burger. I usually do that anyway for some crunch but
this was just to make less of a mess. It didn’t really work. It would have been
easy to hold the container to my mouth and just “drink” them down. They were
not enjoyable and for me to say that about a French fry let alone anything that
is fried is sad. I am even surprising myself.
I had gotten an iced tea
to drink and that was enormous. It made no sense. I don’t remember ordering a
size or being asked about one. That ended up in the garbage after like five
sips.
Overall it was an okay
experience if you know are in a hurry and need to eat something fast and are in
the area. I wouldn’t plan a day or event around it. I certainly won’t be going
back any time soon.
“Steak ‘n Shake was founded in February, 1934 in Normal, Illinois. Gus Belt, Steak ‘n Shake’s founder, pioneered the concept of premium burgers and milk shakes. For over 75 years, the company’s name has been symbolic of its heritage. The word “steak” stood for STEAKBURGER. The term “shake” stood for hand-dipped MILK SHAKES. Gus was determined to serve his customers the finest burgers and shakes in the business. To prove his point that his burgers were exceptionally prime, he would wheel in a barrel of steaks (including round, sirloin, and T-bones) and grind the meat into burgers right in front of the guests. Hence arose the origin of our famous slogan, ‘In Sight It Must Be Right.’”
If you say so.
To plan your visit:
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