Shake Shack at The Summit

I went to Shake Shack at The Summit at Fritz Farm to check out their burgers, because eventually every Lexington food obsession leads you to whatever has the buzz. Shake Shack has been here a couple of years now and the line is still consistent. I wanted to know if it earns the line.

The Double ShackBurger

I got the Double ShackBurger and ran it through the garden. In my humble culinary opinion, that's the only way to do a burger. Lettuce, tomato, onion, the works. A burger without that stuff is just a sad meat circle on a bun.

Here's my actual standard for burgers: what separates a great one from an average one is crust on the patty. Real Maillard reaction, real char, real flavor concentrated on the outside. Most burger joints serve you a steamed gray puck and call it good. Shake Shack does not. These patties had crispy crust which by that factor alone puts them miles ahead of most burger spots in Lexington.

If that wasn't enough, the American cheese was oozing off this sucker like a lactose intolerant avalanche of creamy delicious gold. The ShackSauce gave the burger an outstanding flavor. My best guess is it's mayo mixed with possibly pickle juice and some other ingredients, but that's just a guess. Whatever's in it, it works.

The Crinkle Fries

Crinkle fries get a lot of grief from people who think only thin or hand-cut fries count. I get the criticism, but Shake Shack's crinkle fries deserve their own conversation. These were crispy and crunchy, the way fries are supposed to be. Shake Shack brought their fry A-game.

If the fries had been mediocre, the burger would have carried the meal. But the fries didn't need any carrying. Both halves of the plate delivered.

Verdict

Worth the line. The Double ShackBurger is the move, run it through the garden, get the crinkle fries. Next time I'm going to actually order a shake, since that is half of what they're named after and I have so far inexplicably skipped it.

Shake Shack is just one stop in a long Lexington food obsession, and fish and chips is another category I'm working through one spot at a time.

If you're at The Summit anyway, Blaze Pizza is right there too. I reviewed their BBQ Chicken pie here.

Looking for more Lexington restaurant ideas? See my Best Restaurants in Lexington guide.