Yesterday I took Lisa to Shake Shack for the first time and she enjoyed herself a vegetarian-friendly portobello burger which was deep fried and stuffed with her favorite cheese: Muenster. After that I said: “We must get a concrete” in such a way that suggested I’d tried a concrete and wanted Lisa to try one too. But the truth was I hadn’t had a concrete either. So we studied the concrete menu (a concrete, by the way, is “dense frozen custard blended at high speed with homemade mix-ins”) and settled upon The Concrete Jungle. Here it is:
It may not look like much but its stuffed with hot fudge, bananas and peanut butter. It cost $5.77 which seems pricey but when shared with another and compared to the icy gooey mess they serve at Cold Stone, you begin to see why this is special. Notice Lisa’s clenched fist in the picture above. That’s because she’s so anxious to dive in. The concrete jungle is way dense and rich and delicious. Perfect for sharing after fried burgers and fried fries. Lisa and I fought over the bananas—the bananas were the best part. When we started Lisa said: “There’s no way we’re going to finish this.” But finish we did and death draws upon us at a greater speed because of it. But if I die fat and early because I ate a Concrete Jungle, may I never live to see 100! Or a speedo! Well I can see a speedo, I just can’t wear one. Ok, this post is over.
Concretes are a staple in the STL. Ted Drewes has epic lines all summer, and they pride themselves on making shakes so SHOCKINGLY DENSE that they can be casually held upside down for long periods of time with no ill effects. Take that, Danny Meyer!
That’s right … actually, I believe concretes were invented at Ted Drewe’s, which has been around a million years and is still a world-famous frozen custard joint in St. Louis. I have fond childhood memories of eating concretes sitting in the parking lot there.
Danny Meyer is from St. Louis, too, and has evidently said that’s where he got the concrete inspiration… although my sources say the Shake Shack’s are not quite as thick. Could you hold your cup upside down without spilling it? I’d like to see that tested, AG.
The concrete is also said to be the source material for the DQ blizzard, although they obviously use soft-serve ice cream instead of frozen custard. I wouldn’t try holding a blizzard upside down. I would still eat one, though. If it were sitting here in front of me.
¿Thank you? for inducing some vivid imagery about the speedo.
I’ve not yet braved the Concrete Jungle, although this spring has already seen two delightful visits to the Shack, filled with Shack burgers, cheese fries, and chocolate shakes. Guess the concrete is next on the “must try” list.
So I am admittedly about to sound creepy and stalkerish, but since I adore reading your site and do so often, I’m coming to recognize certain reoccurring characters. Two days ago I was walking home from work through Mad. Sq. Park and stared at someone thinking, “Who IS that girl who just passed me? I know her from somewhere.” Please apologize to Lisa for me, and yes, I promise to keep back 50 feet and all next time.