It’s Friday afternoon and my editor, Spencer Patterson, and I have needed an excuse to make it to Shake Shack. Today, the burger house at New York-New York is rolling out a limited-edition French fry flavor: When Irish Fries Are Smiling, loaded with horseradish cream, bacon and green onions. We leave the office with a mission: crush these fries (and some burgers, too).
Around 2 p.m. there’s still a midday rush and a doorwoman allowing only a few patrons in at a time, keeping us from our delicious prize. I notice there’s no signage for the fries we drove all the way down here for—is it possible they don’t have them? We panic for a second before bellying up to the counter. Taped to the register is a sign for the Irish fries (phew), so we get one—and a plain order of fries, too, just to play it safe.
Aerial view of "When Irish Fries are Smiling" at Shake Shack.
I sit down with our basket of crinkle-cuts, the creamy-cool horseradish (and the perfect amount of it) swaddling each fry like a spicy blanket. This isn’t that Horsey stuff you get from Arby’s—it’s the real deal. I feel like Goldilocks and this horseradish is just right. Not too chunky, not too spicy and just the right amount of kick. I want this on a beef sandwich. No, I want this on everything.
Did I mention the fries are crinkle-cut? These things are like Del Taco fries on steroids, which means they’re holy sh*t good. And the grooves really assist in delivering the maximum amount of sauce to your dome—the perfect horseradish-to-fry ratio, every time. On top of the stack of golden-fried potatoes are thick pieces of applewood smoked bacon. Salty, chewy and oh-so-satisfying. The freshly chopped green onions give this fast-food appetizer a clean reprieve. It’s French fry harmony.
Spencer thinks Shake Shack should add it to the menu full-time. “It’s best when you get all the elements—the bacon, the horseradish, the scallions—at once. That’s when it’s just right,” he says, mid-fry grab. I agree. I know I shouldn’t eat these all of the time, but dammit, I want to. Assuming they won’t add these to the permanent menu, I’ll be making a trip back to Shake Shack before they nix the Irish fries on Tuesday. And next time, I won’t need an excuse.
When Irish Fries are Smiling through March 17, Shake Shack, New York-New York.
