Burgers, Shakes, Cider & Doughnuts

Last week my friend Keren and I went to my favorite burger spot, The Shake Shack (http://shakeshacknyc.com). It's a cute stand in Madison Square Park on 23rd street in Manhattan. Right by the landmark Flatiron Building. It's a beautiful park, with seasonal art installments and performances. I like going to the Shake Shack in the winter, because the line is never as long. And they have heaters out so that you don't get too cold while you're waiting for them to freshly cook your burger and fries. And yes you have to get both.
My favorite is the Shack Burger that is topped with lettuce, tomato, American cheese, and there shack sauce (which I think is thousand island). The burger is always perfectly cooked, and the tender bun is toasted. The burger is the perfect size, and the fries are crinkle-cut and crispy. Another great thing is that the shack is powered by wind energy, and relatively inexpensive. The Shack Burger with fries is $7.50.
They also have a vegetarian option, a Portabello mushroom , stuffed with munster and cheddar cheeses and fried. It's incredible. And if you're feeling particularly gluttonous, you can get that on top of a burger. That's called the shack stack.
They offer hotdogs also, and have a rotating daily frozen custard menu. Some of the flavors this month are Pumpkin, poached Pear, and Apple Cider.
Oh! And this time of year they are offering hot chocolate with fresh marshmallow, and hot apple cider with doughnut holes from my FAVORITE doughnut place, The Doughnut Plant (http://doughnutplant.com) and I'm from North Carolina, the land of Krispy Kreme. And keren and I shared a Pumpkin-Pie-Oh-My! (custard blended with Pumpkin Pie and topped with whipped cream). Now I didn't say this was a healthy lunch place, but man is it delicious.
Next time there's a somewhat warm, sunny winter day, take a trip to the shake shack. I promise you won't be disappointed.