It turns out that these were actually photos of a reservation-only, pop-up fine-dining experience that Shake Shack was offering last month, which allowed customers to taste the restaurant's latest White Truffle Menu.
Of course, with my poor timing, the white truffle tasting experience was no longer being offered by the time I found out about it. But since I was so curious about the chain's new menu — because, like, that sounds incredible — I reached out to the restaurant, and the Shake Shack team set up a table for me.
And don't worry — even though the fine-dining experience isn't running anymore, you're still able to order everything on the White Truffle Menu in the store. You can also always order via GrubHub and set up your own tablecloth and candles at home, though. Just saying.
So, without further ado, here are my thoughts on the White Truffle Menu, and what it was like having a candlelit dinner in a Shake Shack:
When I arrived at the Shake Shack, they had our table all set up, complete with a white tablecloth, gold tableware, a vase of flowers, and, of course, lit candles.
There were even little menu cards on our plates that had details about the White Truffle Menu, which included the White Truffle Burger, the White Truffle 'Shroom Burger, and the Parmesan Fries With White Truffle Sauce.
After looking at the menu, I knew the food was going to be amazing, and the waiter even brought out some wine for us. I have to say, sipping on a glass of prosecco inside a Shake Shack was a surreal experience. I would 10/10 recommend.
They also let us pick out a lemonade. I chose the Sunset Lemonade (which is also available for order outside of the tasting experience), and I thought it was a little too sweet, but it ended up pairing really nicely with the salty fries.
Our waiter brought out our food, which included all of the items on the White Truffle Menu. It was so much food, but it all looked pretty damn good for a fast-food restaurant.
First, I tried the White Truffle Burger, which the restaurant describes as a "Fontina cheeseburger topped with real white truffle sauce made with Regalis organic white truffle oil, and crispy sweet onions on a toasted potato bun."
Let me tell you, this was delicious. Everything about the burger was well made: There was the perfect amount of cheese on the burger, the onions were adequately crispy, and the bun was warm and chewy. The truffle flavor wasn't too overwhelming, and there was a nice bun-to-patty ratio.
Next, I tried the White Truffle 'Shroom Burger, which is a "crisp-fried portobello mushroom filled with melted muenster and cheddar cheeses, topped with real white truffle sauce made with Regalis organic white truffle oil, and shredded lettuce on a toasted potato bun."
This was also amazing. The fried mushroom was very crispy, the cheese was oozing everywhere, and the truffle sauce added a really nice umami taste to the already flavorful burger. I think I liked the other burger better than this one, but it was still very good, and I could see this being a great option for vegetarians.
I obviously also had to have some fries, which were "crispy crinkle cuts topped with parmesan cheese and served with real white truffle sauce made with Regalis organic white truffle oil."
Personally, I'm a shoestring-fry loyalist, so I was a little iffy on the crinkle cuts. But after dipping one in the sauce, I was very impressed. The Parmesan cheese really leveled these up and had a really satisfying, savory flavor. I will say the fries could've been a little crispier, but they were definitely still delicious.
Obviously, I had to have some dessert and try the restaurant's new Tiramisu Shake, and boy, I'm so glad I did.
Honestly, I thought this milkshake was to die for — it was sweet and espresso-y, and it really did taste like tiramisu. There was even a ladyfinger in the shake that was delicious when dipped in the whipped cream.
The tl;dr on this is that everything on the White Truffle Menu was delicious, and this was some of the best fast food I've ever had — and trust me, this job has made me try a lot of fast food. But if you could only order two things, I'd recommend the White Truffle Burger and the Tiramisu Shake. You won't regret it!
Have you tried the White Truffle Menu? Let me know in the comments!