sometimes cheesecake factory has a night off. as much as i like cheesecake factory, tonight only the food was good. service was incredibly off. there was only one soup tonight and my friend ordered it--the creamy mushroom. she ordered rene's special which came with a half of a sandwich. after about ten minutes our server returned and said that they had no soup whatsoever. she tried to coax her into having a whole sandwich instead. i shook my head and said take a look at the menu again which she ultimately did. the server would have rather her make a on-the-spot decision but, why do that and order something you don't really want? after looking at the menu she ordered a small appetizer.
i ordered a pit beef dip. our server looked at me and asked, "are fries okay?" i responded, "could i have a side salad instead?" she said yes, but did not give me an option of dressing. so when it came time for the food to come out, of course, my friends food came out first. that was fine, but they waited until my food came out about five minutes later to begin eating, even after i asked that they begin.
the side salad was big for a side salad and was refreshingly good. the pit beef dip was really good, with caramelized onions, fontina cheese and a creamy horseradish sauce. a cup of au jus came in a small demitasse cup alongside. i thoroughly enjoyed the sandwich. it's rare that i dislike anything here to begin with. i'm just sorry my friends had to wait on me.
i never received or was offered a refill on my tea. i guess my server was forced to work on st. patrick's day, and was taking it out on her customers. go figure.
-----28 sep, 2014-----
return visit. i have returned here three times since my last review. service has been great except for my most recent return which was today. corey, our server was average at best. after he took our order he mentioned that he would bring us bread for the table, but it would be about fifteen minutes. that was fine, but it never happened. after about twenty to twenty-five minutes our meals were brought out and after that, well, we were just an afterthought.
the food itself was excellent. i had "the italian" sandwich which was pure bliss. according to the menu it was composed of roast turkey, italian soppressata, prosciutto, marinated cherry peppers, fontina and parmesan cheese with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise all on a grilled artisan roll. the outside of the bread was crispy while below the surface it was chewy goodness. the meats were high quality, equivalent to those of the best delis such as central market. this was definitely among the top sandwiches i've had in the last couple of years. the green side salad tossed with a simple balsamic vinegar, was fresh, simple and tasty. meals such as this continue to give me reason to return again and again, even if the service is at times is less than superior.
-----19 sep, 2012-----
always enjoyable,even if i seldom order cheesecake. all cheesecake factory restaurants are similar--at least the dozen or so i've been to. true, the menus are large but the kitchens are enormous and there are several chefs back there so the food comes out quickly--sometimes too quickly--like i'm not finished with my appetizer kinda quickly-what's with my entree being here? i ordered the moroccan chicken this time, not having had it before. it was very good. i don't think any of the items they create are really difficult to prepare. the meats and/or fish are seared and there seems to be a kind of sauce with a side. everything is plated real nicely and everyone lives happily ever after. my friend had the bang bang shrimp which he often has. it must be good to be ordering it that often. please see my other review for the ccf in arlington for additional information about the ccf franchises. i certainly will return.