I try the $10.90 ShakeMeister burger from Shake Shack that comes with a satisfying crunch with every bite

Critically acclaimed and award-winning. These are the descriptions used to describe this somewhat humble-looking burger that was the judges' number one choice at the 2014 South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s Burger Bash.

The burger was created after countless fans of the chain asked for onion rings to be added to the menu. Shake Shack did one better and added crispy, beer-marinated fried shallots to their classic burger (with the unique ShackSauce) and birthed the ShakeMeister burger. 

While it has been a hit with customers, it is always only available in limited-edition runs, somewhat like the McDonald’s prosperity burger that only appears in Singapore every Chinese New Year. 

As someone who frequently recommended friends going overseas to give Shake Shack a shot even before the brand landed in Singapore, I was curious to see how this version of the burger would measure up.

The ShakeMeister was originally only available at the newest Shake Shack outlet at Suntec City but from Oct 5, it can be found at all outlets in Singapore for a limited run till Nov 16. 

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My first impressions upon receiving the burger: I was in for a greasy-looking good time. A generous serving of fried shallots is given with each burger — more than twice the thickness of the accompanying beef patty, and it’s not the same fried shallots that you get as a finishing garnish to the fried bee hoon that you buy from your friendly neighbourhood hawker. 

It’s coated in a flour mixture that gives it an onion ring feel, albeit a really small one, and I find out that it’s similar to what they use for their chicken patty in the Chick’n Shack. And this is what makes it addictively good. 

Texture wise, it certainly adds a satisfying crunch in the mouth with each bite. While it’s tasty on the first bite, it can get jelak halfway through the burger. Perhaps this is because the usual lettuce and tomato slices are removed for this burger to keep the shallots crispy longer, but having those would help cut through the greasiness better.

And I’ll advise eating it as soon as you get it. The shallots did soften after being left out for a while, so while it still packs the same flavour, it’s still better when it’s first served over the counter.

Other than the ShakeMeister Burger, you can also try two other menu items that are topped off with these crispy shallots — ShakeMeister Dog ($6.50), an all-beef hot dog, and ShakeMeister Cheese Fries ($5.90) — for their limited run from now till Nov 16. 

kailun@asiaone.com