Shake Shack’s Orchard Rd Outlet Boasts Spore’s 1st Outdoor Kiosk, “Streetside Shack”

New York “fine-casual” chain Shake Shack forever changed Singapore’s burger scene when it opened its first store here at Jewel Changi in April 2019. Oh how there were queues, and then some. Thankfully, the lines tapered off, especially after its classy second branch opened earlier this February on Neil Road. (But both eateries remain relatively busy).

And on August 5 at 6pm, the Shack will open its third Singapore restaurant at Liat Towers on Orchard Road, its most conveniently-located store to date. It’s strategically perched where American diner Overeasy used to sit, along with Singapore's first-ever mini Shake Shack outdoor kiosk called “Streetside Shack”. Cute. 8days.sg had a preview tasting.

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Taking over the super prime digs previously occupied by American diner Overeasy (by The Lo & Behold group), Shake Shack Orchard Road is situated in Liat Towers, facing the busy Orchard Road boulevard. There’s both indoor and al fresco dining with about 23 tables, each fitting five diners. According to the PR rep, opening hours will extend to midnight on Friday and Saturday once the Covid-19 situation stabilises (whenever that may be — for now, it shuts at 10pm). That’s all well and good, but the most exciting thing to us is the...

Conveniently appointed just outside the main eatery at street level, the Streetside Shack is Shake Shack’s first outdoor ordering kiosk in Singapore. This cosy, wood-clad stand boasts a sloping roof, a homage to the facade of the iconic Madison Square Park Shake Shack in New York. It offers the restaurant’s full menu, from burgers to concretes for both takeaway and dine-in. You can order and receive drinks to-go on the spot here. However, for everything else, you’ll first place your order at the kiosk where you’ll receive a buzzer. Once the buzzer rings, head downstairs to the pick-up counter in the main restaurant to collect your food (either to-go or for dine-in). Perfect for those who wanna quickly grab some burgers on their way home — it also helps to (hopefully) reduce the lines and crowds at the main restaurant area.

Shake Shack Orchard Road is the only SS branch in SG with a patio for outdoor dining. Diners now have the option to enjoy their burgers in the open — great for those who wanna practise extra safe dining. Outside, there’s plenty of foliage, as well as cherry wood, white marble and brass fixtures, giving the space a relaxing blend of garden and greenhouse elements.

Local artist Danielle Tay partnered with Shake Shack to design both the indoor and outdoor murals. The outdoor one captures iconic landmarks in Singapore, like Marina Bay Sands, set amid lush greenery. “I was inspired by the wildlife in Singapore — particularly by the recent appearances of otters and hornbills in the urban parts of the city,” she says.

The garden theme continues indoors, with more murals by Danielle providing splashes of colour to the walls. Inspired by Singapore Botanic Gardens, the two indoor murals capture the Gardens’ lush tropical flora and scenes by Eco Lake.

The new digital kiosks in Shake Shack Orchard Road are a first for the brand in Singapore. With four kiosks lined up at the sides of the indoor space, customers can now complete orders themselves (which will hopefully also reduce the queue times here).

Don’t worry — the digital kiosks will be sanitised by staff after every use. The usual temperature checks for all diners will also be conducted, and hand sanitisers will be dotted around the space. If you must know, the Shake Shack buzzers used for food collection will also be sanitised after each return.

The menu at Shake Shack Orchard Road is extensive — particularly in the drinks department. There are five panels displaying everything from burgers to craft beer. What’s new and exclusive to this outlet: two types of concretes and five lemonades.

One of two fun new Concretes (frozen custard blended with mix-ins) exclusive to the Orchard Road menu. We love the cheeky moniker of this vanilla-based custard. It's blended with blueberry lavender jam, lemon curd and shortbread chunks, then topped with fresh blueberries. The zingy lemon curd shines, but we wish the blueberry lavender jam were a little more tart. Meanwhile, the crisp, slightly salty shortbread pieces add balance and texture to the sweet cold custard. Pretty yum.

The latest Shake Shack collaboration with a popular Singaporean food artisan. Pie-Oh-My features a pastry by local patisserie Tarte by Cheryl Koh (owned by the Les Amis group). Cheryl was awarded ‘Asia’s Best Pastry Chef’ at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant awards in 2016. Here, vanilla custard is swirled with chunks of Cheryl's Treacle Pecan Pie (made exclusively for Shake Shack, it's not available at Tarte). The pecan pie pieces are certainly the star here — buttery, crunchy and brimming with toasted nuts. However, paired with the frozen custard, the dessert as a whole is a little too sweet for our liking. Perhaps it needs a savoury element, or a hint of dark chocolate to balance out the sugar.

Shake Shack’s signature lemonades are given an update here — with two new options offered exclusively at Shake Shack Orchard Road. The Hand-Shaken Lemonades are prepped in a cocktail shaker, along with fresh fruit, resulting in a smoother mouthfeel and brighter pops of flavour.

Between the new Lychee, Blueberry and Mango Hand-Shaken Lemonades, this mango number is our top pick for it’s assertive tropical jolt and pleasant sweetness.

This is a close second, with an intense burst of fruity blueberry bits that pairs well with the tangy lemonade.

If you’re craving something fizzy, the range if Sparkling Lemonades will do the trick. Another Orchard Road exclusive, these include a splash of soda water. We like this Passion Fruit Sparkling Lemonade, with the fizzy soda water highlighting its bright citrusy notes (the passion fruit seeds also add a fun crunch). Meanwhile, the Raspberry Sparkling Lemonade is good for those who love a lot of tang in their drinks.

Also new to Shake Shack Singapore: Common Man Coffee Cold Brew. Add a touch of indulgence by making it a Cold Brew Float, which includes a generous scoop of the Shack’s signature frozen vanilla custard in your cuppa.

Besides the new items, you can of course enjoy the full Shake Shack burger range here — from the classic ShackBurger ($9.20 for Single; $12.70 Double) and oozy cheese-filled ‘Shroom Burger ($10.80), to the Chick ‘n Shack ($9.20) fried chicken burger that was first launched at Neil Road.

New on Shake Shack’s merchandise shelf (adorned with the usual stuff like key chains and notebooks): the Shake Shack x Pew Pew Patches set, which comes with six different iron-on patches. Pew Pew Patches is a local brand that sells embroidered stick-on and iron-on patches, often in designs with a fun Singaporean twist.

We love the idea of the Streetside Shack in this convenient Orchard Road spot, where folks can easily tapow their burgers and (hopefully) avoid the lines inside the dining room. It's an especially thoughtful touch in the time of Covid-19. Also, the new drinks are delish, and we’d happily order the fruity Orchard Traffic Jam Concrete again.

Shake Shack Orchard Road opens Aug 5, 6pm, at #01-01 Liat Tower, 541 Orchard Rd, S238881. Open daily Mon-Fri 11am-10pm; Sat-Sun10am-10pm. www.shakeshack.com.sg.

Photos: Alvin Teo

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