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Just in time for Christmas last year, Shake Shack opened up two stores in the greater Sacramento area, the first in midtown Sacramento, and the second store in the Westfield Galleria mall, located in Roseville, CA. Shake Shack has taken western Placer County by storm, and I wanted to see what all of the shakin' was about... As with all restaurant reviews I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: Shake Shack is located on the second floor of the "Dining Terrace," of the Westfield Galleria, a large, upscale, regional mall in Roseville, CA. The terrace showcases indoor and outdoor dining, along with a playground for the younger set, who have yet to appreciate fine dining. It's just past the 11:00 in the morning opening time of Shake Shack on Tuesday, January 18, 2020, and I've arrived to enjoy an east-coast style burger at the mall.
Photo: Shake Shack is located in the middle of the "Dining Terrace" on the second floor of the mall. The Roseville location is one of a few in California, and the second store in the greater Sacramento area. Shake Shack started out in New York City back in 2001 as a simple hot dog cart inside Madison Square Park, and has expanded coast-to-cast into a chain of a couple hundred stores. Shake Shack arrived in Roseville just in time to celebrate Christmas, 2019. If the location of this restaurant looks at all familiar, you'll notice that Ruby Thai Kitchen, which I visited early last month, shares the back wall of the building, inside the food court, or "Dining Terrace" as it's now called.
Photo: The menu is posted above the counter, and is simple, and very limited. Small is good, as Shake Shack keeps the menu simple, and presents quality food! Click on the image of the menu to see the complete menu the restaurant offers.
Photo: Shake Shack operates on what I call the "taqueria format," in that you make your selection from the overhead menu, pay the cashier, give her your name, and when your order is ready, your name will be called, and you pick it up at the pick-up section of the counter. On this late morning in mid-January, 2022, the staff is all decked out in masks and rubber gloves, as per state guidelines.
Photo: After placing my order, I stepped back and watched the staff in action. I was surprised how busy this restaurant was, after just opening on this late Tuesday morning in mid January.
Photo: At the order "pick up" end of the counter, there are packages of ketchup, mustard, straws and napkins. Like the menu, the condiment choices are limited. No utensils are provided, as everything listed on the menu can be enjoyed by simply using your hands or a straw.
Photo: My name was called about 20 minutes after placing my order, and I picked it up at the counter. The friendly guy who delivered my order offered to add extra ketchup to go with my fries. Thanks! I could have done it, as packages of ketchup are placed on the counter, but he went the "extra mile" to place them with my order.
Photo: I'm a happy guy, and I give an enthusiastic "thumbs up" as I'm ready to enjoy my "ShackBurger," along with my order of "Crinkle Cut Fries," with a "Classic Shake."
Photo: From the "Burgers" section of the menu, I went with the headliner of the restaurant, the "ShackBurger," along with an order of "Crinkle Cut Fries" and a "Classic Shake." It had been YEARS since I've enjoyed a milkshake! My order arrived in a cardboard box, with a few packages of catsup! and a straw. Shake Shack is to be commended on their eco-friendly packaging, as there is no plastic or styrafoam, and everything, including the straw, is made of paper or cardboard. The menu describes the burger as, "Cheeseburger, with lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce," and the beef as, "Our 100% Angus beef blend, no hormones or antibiotics ever, humanly raised, and grazed in the USA." The base of Shake Shack's "ShackBurger" is the beef patty, and like the menu states, it's a patty of Angus beef, I'd guess a quarter pound or so, before cooking. The beef was cooked medium - I didn't specify how I wanted mine cooked - and was tender, juicy and full of flavor. The beef patty was topped with a piece of American cheese, which was perfectly melted. It takes technique and timing to melt a layer of cheese on a burger patty, and Shake Shack has mastered this technique. Actually, one simple word... "perfect" could describe the beef patty. The beef was placed on a fresh, plain bun, and I noted the beef-to-bun ratio was just right. The bun wasn't particularly noteworthy, as it was simply a plain bun, but it was fresh, slightly sweet in taste, and held together well. Both sides of the bun were dressed with "ShakeSauce" which seemed to be Shake Shack's name for 1000 Island dressing. The burger was complimented by a couple leaves of fresh, fancy lettuce, and several slices of fresh tomato. The veggies were fresh, and chilled when placed on the burger, which adds pizzazz to a burger, and helps to propel the "ShackBurger" to the top of the list. This was an outstanding burger! The "Crinkle Cut Fries" were simply delicious, as they were perfectly deep fried to a golden brown on the outside, and white and chewy inside. Each fry was perfect, and not at all greasy or salty. Naturally the fries arrived hot from the kitchen and they were simply amazing! I dipped them in ketchup - ketchup brings out the 9-year-old in me - but the ketchup was simply "window dressing" as these fries were stand-alone delicious. I went with a "Classic Shake," in the "Cookies 'n Cream" variety, and it was a classic milkshake, all the way around. It had been YEARS since I've enjoyed a shake, and I was ready, and I thoroughly enjoyed this shake, as it was all milk, ice cream, and ground up cookies. It was rich, creamy and delicious. It reminded me of shakes I enjoyed as a kid at drive-up diners, during a Friday evening of "dragging the main." One bite into the "ShackBurger" and you know that you're biting into a quality burger. The juicy meat patty, the buns, the sauce and the melted cheese were warm, and the lettuce and tomato were cold, and the warm/cold contrast helps to define a superior burger, especially when the lettuce leaves "crunch." You could taste the melted American cheese, which totally enhanced this amazing burger.
Photo: Out of the box and on to the table, ready to enjoy. "ShackBurger," with an order of "Crinkle Cut Fries," finishing off with a "Classic Shake." This is "old school" diner cuisine at it's best! The quality of the food, the preparation, the presentation, the taste and the friendly service I enjoyed at Shake Shack were great, but I felt the portion size of the burger, along with the shake, were on the light side. The burger was priced at $6.29, which is on the high side for a "smallish," albeit quality burger, but at $5.59 for the shake... I'm sorry, that's priced out of reach. At $3.25, the fries were priced about right. The total cost of the food you see in this photo was $15.13 before state sales tax was added. The "price of admission" is high, but I suppose when you add in the quality, the taste, along with the amazingly friendly service and... you don't need to tip the staff... it all works out to fine dining.
Photo: The "ShackBurger" is a "real" as it gets, as it's all natural, made with fresh ingredients, skillfully prepared, cooked just right, and is a delicious cheeseburger any way you look at it. This is a "New York style" burger, as Shake Shack originated as a simple burger stand in New York City back in 2001. This burger is delicious, and was my first taste of a burger that originated on the east coast. The burger, fries and milkshakes were simply delicious, the staff was amazingly friendly, and the food court at Westfield Galleria offers unsurpassed dining comfort, both inside and outside. Now, if the portions were only larger... Shake Shack Copyright(c) 2022 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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