When we first drove up to the parking
lot at the Cheesecake Factory, it was packed and you could see people standing
outside waiting for a table. When we got inside, the first thing that hit me
was the noise level, it was busy and filled with friends, families and couples
laughing and eating. There was music playing just loud enough to be enjoyed but
did quiet enough to where you could hold a normal conversation without having
to yell. The décor was modern and upscale. The wait staff was dressed in
business casual clothing of black and white. The smell of freshly baked bread
was unmistakable and I immediately began to feel hungry. We were given the
option to eat either outside or inside and we chose to be seated outside. The
wait was supposed to be 30 minutes but we was pleasantly surprised that we were
called in about 15 minutes and taken to one of their 2 outdoor patios. It was
typical gorgeous but sunny New Mexican day outside but immediately noticed a
large bamboo shade that kept the sun out and kept the patio at the perfect
temperature. There were a variety of
people outside dining but what caught my attention is that there were no small
children out there only groups of friends and couples which was a nice getaway
from our normal home life of two children.
The
tables outside looked like very expensive outdoor furniture with overstuffed
padding which made it cozy to sit on. The tables were a dark brown and large enough
to easily sit 6 people comfortably. The napkins were white and soft to the
touch and the water were drinking was ice cold and fresh. The menu was large
enough that you could appease any appetite but was well organized and descriptive
that you knew what you were getting with no surprises. The only disappointment
of the afternoon came as we were ordering our food and they were out of the
Club sand-which that I was craving. The service was apologetic about not having
my sandwich and once my order was placed, the food was there before we knew it.
I chose the Chicken Parmesan sandwich "which costs $13.95" (cheesecakefactory.com) with Marinara and a side Caesar salad as my alternative sandwich. The first bite
of the sandwich was about 3 different flavors hitting my taste buds all at once. The chicken was juicy and soft, the marinara sauce
was warm and flavorful and the French bread roll has a crispy but an incredibly soft inside. The side salad tasted fresh and crisp, there was the right
amount of cheese and Caesar dressing that all blended together to one of the
best salads I had have.
My
husband Joe chose "the Chicken Madeira which costs $17.95" (cheesecakefactory.com) with Asparagus, mushrooms and
red skinned mashed potatoes and when they came out, they did not
disappoint. The portion size could have easily fed two adults and I loved the presentation. My husband stated that the food was amazing. He thought the chicken was mouth-watering and the grave they covered it with was warm and flavorful. The asapagus and mushrooms were the perfect consistency. He thought the red skined mash potatoes were good but he thought they were a little unflavorful compared to the rest of the dish, until he took a bite of chicken with the potato's together. His overall impression was "a great place for all to come and enjoy themselves with great food at a great price."
For dessert, we chose the Salted Caramel cheesecake with a blond
brownie crust. The blend of salted caramel, cookie crust, cheesecake and the whipped
cream was a good blend of sweet and salty. The crust was more like a cookie which was a good combination to the sweetness of the cheesecake. Overall, I think that the Cheesecake Factory has lived up to the hype that it created when it was built here and I am excited to go there again.
Work Cited
Macek, Joseph. Personal Interview. 8 March 2016
