Salted Caramel Custard at Shake Shack

A number of elements came together last night to convince me that a stop at the UWS Shake Shack was a necessity:

1) It was over 90 degrees.

2) The A train just wasn't coming and the C offered a welcome respite from the sweltering platform.

3) Jon's in Florida and I was in no hurry to return to my empty apartment.

4) SALTED CARAMEL CUSTARD is Shake Shack's Monday flavor-of-the-day throughout August.

5) I still hadn't been to the UWS Shake Shack outpost. A visit was long overdue.

Inside, I hopped on the "C" line for cold food and ordered a single dip of salted caramel custard in a cup with their seasonal fruit, blueberries, on top. I waited less than a minute in line and less than a minute for my treat, a welcome change from my experience at the downtown Shake Shack, admittedly usually earlier in the day.

The custard was in some ways just what I was looking for. It tasted almost exactly like the inside of a Fran's salted caramel but with a cold, creamy texture that went down like silk. Unfortunately, it wasn't as refreshing as I'd hoped. In the hot weather, it was both a little too sweet and a little too salty to satisfy my thirst for cool. The blueberries helped cut the sweetness, but at $1.25 for approximately 15 berries, they certainly weren't a bargain.

Overall, I'm glad I tried it but if anything, it only makes me more eager to return on Thursday for Sweet Corn.