Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop
174 Fifth Ave, at 22nd st.
Distance from Shake Shack: 0.05 miles
Travel Time: 2 minutes
# of People in Line: 7
You want close to Shake Shack? How about half a block from Madison Square Park? Charmingly vintage, Eisenberg’s is run by a big friendly guy who takes every order and scrawls it on a paper bag, sending it down to the far end of the restaurant and the cooks. The bar is lined with lone diners who end up chatting with each other anyway, while a waitress shuffles by them to serve the guy who’s been sitting at the same table for twenty years, reading a folded newspaper, his rotating choice of pastrami, tuna melt, and meatloaf sandwich.
The burgers are a newer addition: flame-grilled to order, huge, lettuce and tomato but no saucy condiments standard. I asked for extra ketchup and excused myself past the waiting to-go-orderers (Eisenberg's is not the fastest kitchen by any means), waited for the light to turn green, and settled into a park bench fifty yards from Shake Shack. There, I had a smile at the people waiting in line, and took a bite.
I mentioned it was huge. The lettuce was crisp and the tomato fresh, the sesame bun pretty standard. The patty was quite charred, to the point of being just slightly too dry.
A small tangent: what’s great about Shake Shack is their eschewing the flame-broil: cooked on a hot flat griddle, the burgers essentially fry, making for a juicier cut that’s harder to reproduce at home. Anybody can grill a big fat burger on the Weber, coating it in carbon; not everybody can balance the juicy advantage of the fry-technique while avoiding its overly-greasy tendencies. Part of it may be the brisket-sirloin combination in the meat, part of it is the elusive “Shack Sauce”--part of it is the fact that we’re not supposed to know, and that’s why it’s magic.
All that said, Eisenberg’s wins all kinds of awards for being reasonably priced and providing the possiblity that one can still eat the burger among the green grass, sunbathers, and interesting public art. Heck, you could probably get away with eating at one of the Shack’s tables, and nobody’d much notice.
Apart of Beating the Waiting Game: Alternatives to Shake Shack
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
The best way I've found to cook burgers at home is on a grill pan (I use the Simply Calphalon 13" as recommended by Cooks Illustrated when they graded all the grill pans, I believe you can get it at bed bath and beyond for around $40). I've found this works pretty well for keeping the burger moist but not greasy (the ridges collect some but not all of the grease.) I even get good results with
turkey burgers, which of course are prone to drying out because they need to be well done. As always, there are countless variables of care and concentration that go into making the perfect burger, not matter what you method, but the results I'm getting with the grill pan are impressive.
Who waits in that Shake Shack line, anyway? I just wouldn't wait that long for a hamburger, even if it was free and delicious.
I wait in Shake Shack line. There burgers are so deliciously morrish. I would travel the seven seas to mearly smell one of these treasures of heaven. I would just like to that the staff of Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop for one of the best meals of my life. Absoulty breathtaking
Hello fellow fast food lover. My name is David (one thrid of the alliance known as the fast food rockers). Me and the other two Jnoanthan and Paul would like 2 just spend this bit of time 2 applaud u on your article here.I was very touched like many fast food lovers. The way you described every moment was as if it was you last and thats what make you like us, not just good but great. Your words were like poetry to my ears. You are a true legend my friend.
hello fellow fast food rocker. My name is Jonny i must extend my aplause and congratulations on writing a world class review, when u described your satisfaction and forfilled apetite i felt like i was sitting next to you on that park bench on that glorious day, and based on the passion, enthousiasm and sheer mouthwathering describtion of this article. I would like to extend to you a special honourary extended membership to the F.F.T.A ( Fast Food Triple Alience ). I look forward to hearing your future reviews and having a hopefully the 1st F.F.T.A. honourary member.