Shake Shack was one of our favourite burger joints whilst living in Seoul. It was only a 15-minute walk from home (you burn calories getting there and back, so no guilt there!) and great for a full meal or a light snack. But the best part was how incredibly delicious the burgers were – moist, smoky and tender.
When the invite to the preview of Shake Shack Sunway Pyramid came in, I was definitely raring to go as we’ve yet to have Shake Shack here since we got back.
First impression of the venue was that it’s a classier looking joint than the one we frequented in Seoul. Decked out in warm hues, it was a different vibe from the signature green, street photography, along with a TV blaring out clips of Shake Shack in NYC lining the walls of the outlet in Seoul.
Shake Shack: the menu
We were treated to the newbies on the menu: Avocado Beef and Avocado Chicken. These burgers come with freshly sliced avocado and applewood-smoked streaky beef. Out of these two, the Avocado Beef won hands down. The smokiness and juiciness of the beef patty came through and I was inwardly rejoicing that Shake Shack here rates the same as the one in Seoul. Happy, happy, joy, joy!!
This does not mean that the Avocado Chicken was not up to par, in fact the chicken patty was juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It just paled slightly to the Avocado Beef. It’s still an extremely good burger for those who can’t eat beef.
For many Malaysians, we have the (mis)conception that when a brand opens up shop here, there’s bound to be a drop in quality. For Shake Shack Malaysia, that is vehemently not true – yay!
The Fresh Lemonade, made with real cane sugar, went refreshingly well with the burgers. Along with the burgers and drink, were Cheese Fries – for what is a meal at a fast food joint if not for burger + fries + drink?! The Cheese Fries however did not go down well with us as we prefer the plain fries. We dug along the sides and bottom of the cheese sauce for crispy, crinkly cut fries.
Interestingly enough, there are no Chicken Bites on the Shake Shack menu here. They have actual fried pieces of chicken thigh or breast in non-spicy and spicy versions. Now, that would be something I would go back to have a taste. I know the burgers definitely rock but do their fried chicken?
Only in Malaysia
We were also offered the Bunga Raya Shake – a Malaysia exclusive. This was a hibiscus jelly topped with vanilla frozen custard blended with dragon fruit and gula melaka, topped with whipped cream, coconut crumble and gula melaka drizzle. I LOVED this! It brought back flavours of local kuehs. Plus, the pink hue also reminded me of Sirap Bandung, which I also really like.
Tip here though: the whipped cream melts really fast even in the air-conditioned setting. It started to get messy with it dripping all over. Have wet wipes on hand!
I do like that they have a Malaysia exclusive as there weren’t anything like this back in Seoul.
We were originally also supposed to have a taste of the Concretes (Shake Shack’s premium ice-creams) but unfortunately pre-opening hiccups did not make this happen.
Shake Shack: yes or no?
So, what we did think of Shake Shack Malaysia? GO! It’s perfect for families, and it is not a run-of-the-mill fast food joint. The prices are definitely on the higher end but Shake Shack should not be lumped in the same band as McD’s and the likes.
There is also the fact that they do not have set meals on the menu. Everything is priced individually, which brings up the total bill. I would say this won’t be a regular outing but for those special occasions (birthdays, good grades, good behaviour(!), etc), why not?
Would’ve been nice it they also served wine and beer like the outlet in Seoul but hey, at least Shake Shack’s here!
We were invited by Shake Shack Malaysia. As always, our opinions are honest and our own.
