The Cheesecake Factory

The Cheesecake Factory Restaurant Review:

It’s not surprising that all of South Florida’s The Cheesecake Factory locations are in mega-malls or tourist-central areas; after hours of shopping or exploring the sights, perusing a menu with unfamiliar dishes isn’t that relaxing a break for many folks. Whereas a meal at this national chain, which evolved from a single neighborhood cheesecake bakery into a California-based multi-outlet dining concept, is always comfortably predictable. The ruling idea seems to be that diners want mammoth portions of casual fare they can count on --- and cheesecake, lots of cheesecake. From a selection of more than 200 items, it's most fun to put together an eclectic communal grazing meal of appetizers like spicy-battered popcorn shrimp and buttery sweet corn tamale cakes. Burgers, salads and sandwiches make a major meal-and-a-half; meat or seafood entrées and pastas might fill two or three normal stomachs. And three guesses as to what leads the dessert list, in flavors from Oreo cookie to white chocolate. The chain does add a few new menu items reflecting national food trends, such as a health-conscious salad of kale and quinoa, trendy vegetables and grains of the moment. Almost everything is tasty, and there’s almost nothing on the menu that kids wouldn’t eat, which is why CF locations are frequently packed with families.