Shake Shack, Madison Square Park, New York

I can probably count the number of times I've really felt an urge like eating a burger twelve months leading up to the Shack Shake burger on one hand. Do I eat McDonalds Big Macs. Yes. I like them although they make me feel physically sick after. Convenience food. That's all. Awesome fries too when they're steaming hot and fresh. In London, there's always Hache or Byron Burger, the latter being my preference. Girluninterrupt and fearandrecords had both told me to check this place out and prepare to queue... What a perfect way to waste an hour or so in New York...

Here goes. We arrive, from Detroit, at Newark airport at 10am on a Saturday morning with an outbound flight to Heathrow no less than 11 hours later. Frustratingly luggage storage is just not a facility that American airports currently provide. In fact, American airports are dry as hell. Security are surly and... etc. So, to continue, with our many bags we taxi'd into Manhattan with one destination in mind. The park itself is lush and beautiful, and you're pretty much guaranteed there's something to visually distract you whilst you stand in line during lunchtime service. Ah, the queues are in fact legendary, just have a look at the website, there's even a livecam shot of the start of the queue. A bit misleading since the queue snakes off way beyond to the left of the shot.

After just over an hour in the queue, it was time to order one of almost everything on the menu and grab a regulation green table and chairs which we'd earnt after some hard queuing. Taking a little over 10 minutes the buzzer goes and I collect the food and drinks, which is crammed somewhat fittingly into a cardboard tray.

The Shack Shake Double Burger, a small LA In-N-Out sized flat double patty made of a mix of sirloin and brisket that is simply delicious. Second to none that I have tasted. Awesome. The fries, one of each of cheese fries and regular. They are just as they should be. Good but not spectacular and perhaps a little too salty. Bringing me onto the custard shakes. Unearthly. Custard rather than “normal” milk based... A rich thick Vanilla Peanut Butter Custard, in this instance from a selection of maybe 10 choices. I never wanted it to end. You can even drink beer and wine in the designated drinking zone – a rarity in New York.

So what did I make it of it. The Shake Shack Double Burger is the best burger ever... to have graced my tastebuds. Certainly. Definitely. Quite an accolade? Nope. It is deserved.

Shack Shake Burger, Southeast corner of Madison Square Park, near Madison Ave and East 23rd St, NY 10010, USA‎ - (212) 889-6600‎