Feb
14
Official Members of the Club
Angel:
When the temps drop, we think burgers. Well, we’re always thinking burgers, but Burger Conquest REALLY got us thinking about burgers when they announced their 3rd annual Polar Brrger Club, Shake Shack in the park in the snow… a man whose thinking is right up our alley.
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Sean:
When Angel first mentioned it, I was picturing having to strip down to a Speedo and jump into a large body of water. Perhaps this would have a little twist of enjoying burgers afterwards, but I definitely thought freezing water would somehow be involved. While I still would have been game, I was relieved I was completely wrong.
As stated by Burger Conquest founder, Rev Ciancio, “Polar Bear Clubs are silly, this is ridiculous. Diving into icy waters is so 1903. The 2013 Serious Eater knows to grow their body when it gets cold out. Lines suck! Why not take advantage of those who will stay inside and get one of the best burgers in NYC without the wait?!??!”
Although a Hawaiian shirt it the preferred wardrobe choice, Angel and I decided to pull out our ‘I *heart* Burgers’ t-shirts to wear for the special occasion.
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Angel:
In previous years, the snow was still falling when the club met up. This year the snow had stopped and the roads were plowed. This gave me a chance to shovel and also a chance to work up an appetite.
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Sean:
With the snow long stopped and the roads (relatively) clear, the lines that we thought we would avoid had sadly returned (although nowhere near their typical length).
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Angel:
Excited to meet up with some real burger lovers I almost forgot what to order as I walked up to the Shack. I quickly blurted out a cheese burger, fries, beer, and the free hot coco and ordered Sean the same.
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Sean:
They handed us their beeper for our order and it was our turn to wait. Luckily, Burger Conquest and their friends had already arrived so we were able to spend the few minutes introducing ourselves and meeting new people. We were torn. While making new friends helped speed up the wait, watching them eat and smelling the incredible aromas made us all the hungrier.
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Angel:
Although we’ve been to the Shake Shack before, we had never visited the Madison Square Park location, but it didn’t disappoint.
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Sean:
Technically, Shake Shack is counter serve fast food, but their burgers easily rival and outshine many restaurants. With their balance of flavors, perfect bun to topping to meat ratios, and the affordable price one would expect from a fast food establishment, there is simply no way to go wrong there.
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Angel:
As was expected, it was a good burger, good prices, good beer, and a great day in the park with the squirrels and other burger lovers. Certainly, a good time had by all. So much fun, in fact, that we decided to continue it and move to somewhere warmer after everyone had finished their delicious burger.
Live Bait, a small bar/ restaurant nearby, had warm bar stools calling our name. While they’re known for their seafood, we were not yet hungry and used it as a place to thaw, relax, enjoy another beer, and mingle some more.
It was our final stop, at the Taproom No 307, that got our attention and properly earned our respect.
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Sean:
Being NY’ers, our new friends weren’t content with staying still and preferred to always be on the go. This led us to the third stop of the day, Taproom No. 307. In stark contrast to the bright and friendly atmosphere of Live Bait, Taproom No. 307 has darker, moodier lighting and a closer, more intimate feel. Most importantly, they have beer.
With over 40 varieties on tap and a knowledgeable waitstaff, you’re guaranteed to find something you like… or even something you didn’t know you were in the mood for. Angel ordered a locally brewed John Michael while I went full exotic and requested a Victory at Sea, an imperial porter with coffee and vanilla flavors and one of the best and smoothest beers I’ve ever enjoyed.
With their wide variety of beers, it was no secret why Taproom No. 307 was a favorite with our new friends, but we were completely shocked when we learned that, in the numerous times they’ve been there and with a table already covered in appetizers, they had once never tried their burger. Angel and I knew we had to change that and quickly ordered a 307 Burger to share.
The 307 Burger is topped with pale-ale pickled onions, lettuce, tomato, and chipotle mayo (you can order it with optional cheese and/ or bacon for an additional fee, but we chose not to) and includes a side of tater tots.
The burger was nicely presented and looked amazing, but we weren’t there to look at it. With 3 of us eagerly waiting for our bite, it was quickly divvied up and we all dove in.
In near perfect harmony, each of us responded with an audible, “oooh,” with our first bite. If nothing else, there was no mistaking that this was a burger and the meat was commanding the spotlight. The other flavors were there, but worked as assistants each to help raise the bold flavors of the meat even higher.
If there was a complaint to be made (since I’m a stickler for such things), it would be that the burger should have rested for another minute or so. The torrent of juices that spilled out at first slice were simply no match for the bottom bun, but that is me being overly picky.
Unfortunately, we received a emergency call soon after and had to rush out, but I can easily say that we would have definitely ordered another had we more time.
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