A Cheesylicious Farewell - The Cheesecake Factory

March 11, 2012
The Cheesecake Factory, Seattle WA
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[Whole Wheat Bread]
Bang - Bang Chicken and Shrimp
Luau Salad
Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake
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After a week back home, it was time to leave for college again and again, I flew through Seattle. Mom and I were so excited for dinner at The Cheesecake Factory in downtown Seattle. Last time at Bellevue was a slight disappointment but I managed to convince her the restaurants in bigger cities and downtowns would be better. I was right.

I remembered to ask for only Whole Wheat Bread for their complimentary dinner bread. It is just so soft and chewy on the inside, with a distinctive but not overwhelming sweet aroma. The harder outside was chewy and good. It literally is one of my favourite breads ever. Mom's too, hands down.

Mom did not get enough of the Luau Salad from last time in Vegas. This time, the first plate they brought up had stale won ton wrappers. The oil was definitely bad. Clearly, the ones they gave us were not newly fried. That was annoying. They took it back and gave us another one. The second one had no stale oil taste. We were somewhat annoyed that a big chain like The Cheesecake Factory would serve leftover food to minimize costs. At least they gave us another one though. Mom still thinks they overdress the salad but I think the flavour is good. The mango salsa and the crispy won tons really make the dish brilliant - when made right that is.

I ordered the Fresh Vegetable Salad but did not bother with photos. It is just the same as always. Nothing really changes when it comes to greens and white cheddar. It was refreshing though so I got what I wanted. 

I suggested for Dad to order the Thai-style Bang - Bang Chicken and Shrimp. All of us loved this dish. The curry had a hint of sweetness and spice. It was very flavourful. The (baked?) coconut bits on top were sweet and really good. My favourite coconut yet - and that is saying something because as a general rule, I do not eat shredded coconut. The shrimp was a little over done, I thought. The brown rice was okay but my favourite part is still the sauce mixed with some of the sauteed vegetables. I was surprised to find cucumber in there but it was still good. I like the dish with only a little rice though. The sauce was not salty enough to call for all the rice on that dish. The sauce was just splendid though.

Finally, as decided last time in Vegas, we tried the Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake. It was scrumptious. Mom said it was better than the Chocolate Raspberry Truffle one we had in Vegas and I was all "I told you we should have picked the pineapple in Vegas!" It's nice knowing for once, I made a better decision about food than she did. It usually is the other way around but this whole night, I was right about the food. Like dead on. That pleased me a lot.

The cake was so good. The two layers of pineapple upside-down cake was nice and sweet with that hint of brown sugar and lots of pineapple bits which were so refreshing. The pineapple cheesecake in the middle was perfectly creamy and not overly sweet - just about... perfect! Mom ate the cherry on top, even though she did not know why this time they gave us a cherry until I reminded her pineapple upside-down cakes usually had pineapples AND cherries. We devoured the cheesecake like never before. Mostly, I think it was because it was not overwhelmingly cheesy and so lighter than other cheesecakes, allowing us to eat more without getting that 'heavy' feel you sometimes experience with a large slice of chocolate cheesecake.

Overall, the food was great, besides that little mishap. We will definitely be going to Cheesecake Factories every chance we get. There are still so many flavours left to try! Peanut butter next!

A Nice Surprise in Vegas - Coronado Café

December 26, 2011
Coronado Café, Las Vegas NV
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[Crunchy Noodles]
Garden Salad
Won Ton Soup
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This place always had a line up outside, even when we first stayed at South Point Hotel earlier in June. Mom always wanted to try it so we did. She was right, the cafe was great for the price they set. The dishes were very comforting and the environment more casual, more of a family feel than the rest of Vegas, which was a nice change.

The complimentary crunchy noodles were so good and very addicting that we finished it all and asked for a second portion. The dipping sauces were also good. I believe they had honey mustard, sweet chili, and one other sweet and tangy one.

I ordered a Garden Salad which is basically the worst salad I have had in a restaurant setting. However, for under $4, it really was expected. Two cherry tomatoes and one slice of cucumber. I had to order a second salad. It always puzzles me why lettuce and veggies are so expensive in restaurants. It makes no sense.

The Won Ton Soup was mediocre but it was also expected. I mean, it is won ton and soup and all the basic ingredients at a casual cafe. I was not expecting much but at least it was comfort food.

We also had Pad Thai and Pepper Steak, both of which were quite good for the level of the restaurant. Unfortunately, we got caught up in the food that I did not take pictures. Maybe next time! I know Mom wants to go back.

Beats of Red Salsa - Tamales de Rajas

February 25, 2012

Don Memo Mexican Restaurant, Philadelphia PA

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Tamales de Rajas

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A night out with the beats and editors of the DP. The food was great, especially the warm, freshly fried tortilla chips with the red and green salsas (and they were free!). The red salsa was hot and spicy, my favourite EVER! The green salsa with tomatillos was very light and refreshing. The freshly made guacamole were also great with lots of cilantro. I had so much chips (they were just OH SO GOOD!!!) that I did not order the planned chicken enchiladas with mole sauce. Ah well, saves me a reason to go back.

The Tamales de Rajas - I picked red salsa because I loved the spiciness of the flavour - was good. The masa was nice and had a nice, mellow texture. I'm not a fan of the potatoes inside but the vegetables were good and had flavour, although the rest of the dish (the masa, pork, and potatoes) lacked flavour as there was just not enough sauce in it. The pork was also too dry for my liking. It was not as outstanding as the chips, salsa, and guacamole that's for sure.

1st Ever Restaurant Week (in Israel!) - Zahav

January 29, 2012

Zahav, Philadelphia PA

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Hummus Tehina & Laffa

Salatim

Grilled Duck Hearts

Lamb Tongue

Hazelnut-Date Rugelach

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My first ever Restaurant Week in Philly! I missed the opportunity in September and will never do so again! Our house sponsored this event so we only had to pay $10 for the $20 lunch and Zahav was absolutely amazing. I have never had Israeli food, nor have I tried good hummus and tehina.

The appetizers were delicious. The laffa with its seasoning was so warm and soft and chewy... the kind of baking I approve of! The hummus was delicious with the olive oil and chili seasoning. The various salatim had distinct tastes. My favourites were the beets and carrots.

I decided to go all the way so I ordered the Grilled Duck Hearts as my second course. Where else are you going to ever eat duck hearts? I'm fine with any part of an animal that I will usually eat. The hearts were quite hard to chew but definitely tender enough.

I like having to work at my food as long as it is still tender and moist. The onion puree that came with it along with the turnip salatim were also perfect complements.

My third course was also wild and crazy - Lamb Tongue. It was perfectly grilled, tender, and the texture was lovely. It was like a very chewy sausage but with a touch of lamb flavour. Very delicious. At least it did not look like a tongue even if it did come in long strips. The apricot marmalade in the dish was also a nice balance.

Finally, I decided to go the traditional route with the Hazelnut-Date Rugelach. I'm not a fan of phyllo pastry so I did not pick the baklava. But I do not regret it. The rugelach was warm and soft, and the

hazelnut-date filling was sweet but not overly sweet. So warm, such a good aroma coming off of it. The Turkish coffee ice cream that it came with was also delicious, as it had a very nice texture to it. Not the usual creamy, smooth texture, but more of a rough, grounded coffee. It was not sweet, more coffee-flavoured than sweet. A great ending to such a wonderful meal!

Satisfy Those Cravings - Hard Rock Cafe

December 27, 2011

Hard Rock Cafe, Las Vegas NV

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Hard Rock Nachos

Cobb Salad

Hickory-Smoked Bar-B-Que Duo Combo

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After seeing Hard Rock first in Los Angeles, then in Orlando, Philadelphia, and Vegas, we just had to give it a try. The music is not particularly what any of us listens to but regardless, the atmosphere is quite unique - a twist on the traditional restaurant setting, that's for sure!

Mom was craving nachos for two days. So, to satisfy her taste buds, she ordered the nachos - I loved the cheese and jalapenos! So spicy, so nice. I prefer lots of cheese but Mom and Dad seemed to prefer the crispy, un-cheesed chips. The cheese made it soggy after a while but I liked it that way. Salsa was good but I was never a big fan of sour cream.

I had the Cobb Salad and boy it was huge! Just a regular salad, nothing too fancy. It was not bad but there was nothing remarkable.

Dad's hickory-smoked bbq duo of ribs and chicken was, on the other hand, great. I loved the bbq sauce. It was amazing. The ranchero beans that came with it was heavenly for me. I haven't had traditional beans like that for so long! They remind me of our early immigration days, back in my first elementary, and then the canned beans I used to get from Superstore. The ribs were so tender and perfectly done.

I don't think we'll go back to Hard Rock, just because their menu does not offer a lot of variety. Cheesecake Factory is definitely better in their selections. Not a bad dinner, though.