Review: Shake Shack JBR

Shake Shack is my new best friend. It's fast food but not your golden arches standard burger. No no, the Shake Shack is a more refined, tastier eating experience that will leave your taste buds wanting more. And more. Oh and just a little bit more. 

And the Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) branch of Shake Shake is the perfect place for a post-beach feast with its cool and casual setting, just a few moments from the sand. From the external wood cladding, to the deck chairs on the beachfront patio, you can slurp on a milkshake and chomp down on cheesy fries while watching the sun set over the ocean. Although it is a little too hot and humid to sit out now, the inside has booths and bars, offering a sneaky view of the ocean through the glass windows. 

But back to the food. For me, burger places fall into three categories; the cheap and cheerful, the classic with high quality and the experimental. Camembert and cranberry chicken burger anyone?

The Shake Shack definitely falls under the second one. Offering a handful of options for a classic beef burger and a veggie option (sorry no chicken here) the menu is small but perfectly formed. The burger is cooked to perfection and had all the right additions without being overloaded. The bun is soft and fresh, a plus point because there is nothing worse than a slightly stale bun wrapping around your juicy burger. And the cheesy chips are just that; topped with a generous amount of cheddar and cheese sauce which melted over them like a gooey river of goodness. 

And the Shake Shack milkshakes deserve as much attention as the burgers. Refreshing, smooth and creamy, the vanilla milkshake is happiness in a cup. As long as you're not a calorie counter. And they go much further than your standard vanilla, chocolate and strawberry options. The caramel and peanut butter both fought for my attention, but next time I want to try the fair shake; a vanilla milkshake with 100% organic Arabica fair trade coffee. Oh and the fifty-fifty, which is half lemonade and half iced tea is also particularly yummy and refreshing for these hot, humid months.

Ok, so a meal for two costs a little more than the golden arches, but it is all in the taste and you most certainly get what you pay for here. Plus the view is much better from the beach front than the drive-thru.