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 Taste of Ningbo - 宁波海鲜酒家-Ningbo Seafood Restaurant

March 7, 2012

宁波海鲜酒家 - Ningbo Seafood Restaurant, Richmond BC

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宁式酱鸭

宁波一品上素

烤杂鱼

风味炒陈村粉
[陈皮绿豆沙]

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This is a fairly new restaurant, tucked away in the corner of Parker Place. Even for the three months it had been in business though, there was barely anyone there on a Wednesday night. I guess they opted for a 'soft opening' and did not advertise much, but still, there should not be just four tables in a large restaurant filled.

Anyways, the food was exquisite. I guess there is something to be said about not many people eating so the chef can cook each dish carefully. Mom is also right in saying that in the beginning, a Chinese restaurant in Richmond (where there are just way too many Chinese restaurants) need to present superb quality dishes in order to draw the customers back. They did that alright.

We started out with the 宁式酱鸭. The sauce was a perfect blend of soy sauce and sugary sweetness. The duck was also cooked perfectly, tender and quite lean for a duck. Together, the dish was very delicious - the perfect appetizer. I can still taste that sweet soy sauce - YUM!

For our fill of veggies, we decided to try 宁波一品上素 as we wanted only Ningbo specialties. There is no point eating other cuisine at a Ningbo restaurant. I have to say, although this dish was not as flavourful, it was delightfully refreshing. A nice, mild veggie dish with the light flavouring throughout.

My least favourite dish of the evening was 烤杂鱼. I never liked just salty fish. The flavour did go through the baked fish though so I could tell it was cooked with care and very nicely done. I just never liked salted fish much. I prefer my lighter meat dishes with a sweeter flavour.

Finally, another one of my favourites, was the 风味炒陈村粉. These rice noodles were translucent, way prettier than the normal opaque kind and much more chewy. They had yellow chives and Asian celery in them as well, so a nice blend of Asian veggies with shrimp. The noodles were nicely cooked, the 'al dente' version of rice noodles.

They gave each of us a bowl of 陈皮绿豆沙 in the end. It is the first time I have tried such a common dessert but made with mung beans instead of your usual red beans. A nice change, I think, because the mung beans have a slightly different flavour in that they are more bitter and less likely to blend with the sweetness of the sugar. Overall, though, a great meal. Their lunch menu looked very promising with all the appetizers and specialties so we will definitely be back in the summer to try out those dishes!

From the DP Dinner Plate - The Inn at Penn

January 21, 2012

The Inn at Penn, Philadelphia PA

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Classic Caesar Salad

Parmesan and Herb Crusted Boneless Chicken

Chocolate Dome

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First time attending the DP Banquet, I was totally underdressed so I had to rush back and change. At least I had a thick enough dress, and paired with leggings and boots, I was not cold and shivery on that snowy evening.

The catered meal was average. The Classic Caesar Salad was less than ideal. I did not even get any croutons on my plate. It was just a couple of tossed leaves staring up at me. No cheese, no nothing. After the somewhat bland rolls, it was not surprising.

The entree was Parmesan and Herb Crusted Boneless Chicken. I was still in my 'plain chicken breast for protein' phase so I was glad it was a large lean chicken breast. The crust was almost tasteless, the herb and cheese extremely bland. So, I got rid of that, only eating the chicken breast and sauteed spinach. The potatoes were bland too so I didn't really touch it.

The dessert was definitely the best part of the meal, though far from ideal. The chocolate cane on top was good, the white and milk chocolate mix. The chocolate mousse was alright and the raspberry truffle centre was quite good. The biscuit on the bottom though was again a bit bland. At least this was visually appealing.

Overall though, I guess catered meals just don't compare with single entrees at restaurants. But to get a free ticket to the event, and finally learn what the DP is all about, it was a good evening.

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!

Last Night in Vegas - The Cheesecake Factory

December 30, 2011

The Cheesecake Factory, Las Vegas NV

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Luau Salad

Garlic Noodles with Shrimp

Skinnylicious Fresh Vegetable Salad

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake

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Last night in Vegas, every restaurant was preparing for New Year's Eve dinner the next day. Apparently, people were not eating out since they knew the next day's dinner would be formal and huge. Thus, the line for The Cheesecake Factory was only 10 min. We debated all day long where to eat dinner, but the ratings for Rainforest Cafe were not good, and Wolfgang Puck was too pricey for similar dishes. So Cheesecake Factory again it was. And this time was even better.

Not to mention the whole wheat bread we specifically asked for - no sourdough needed! - Mom's Luau Salad was amazing. I urged her to try it since it had mango salsa and crisp wonton wrappers. None of us knew how delicious those two wrappers are! Crispy, huge, sweet and sour, on beds of lettuce, mango, carrots, and what have you. Besides the probably high-calorie dressing, I swear this is the best salad ever. Very refreshing but not too light that you don't feel full after. Very tasty. Very good. We all loved it!

I got my Fresh Vegetable Salad again. The same thing, very refreshing.

Dad decided on Garlic Noodles with Shrimp. This dish was actually quite disappointing. Dad wanted spaghetti, so we went with this. I knew from dining hall experience though that garlic noodles are not very flavourful. And I was right. It was very light. Mom ended up giving Dad some salad dressing since she had too much flavour on hers. There were only four shrimp, which is also very disappointing - it costs extra and they only give you four medium-sized ones. The asparagus, mushrooms, and peas were also not plentiful, unlike the usual Cheesecake Factory servings.

For dessert - have to have dessert! - we decided on Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake. We wanted something with layers of cheesecake and cake. It was this or Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake. I wanted pineapple but Mom and Dad both wanted chocolate so chocolate it was. Very delicious though. Dark chocolate makes it not too sweet, and the raspberry is always nice. The ganache on top is also dark chocolate so not sweet. It is quite hard - I assume that's how it should be? - but it was good. So was the fudge/cake parts. Loved it. Overall, a very good final dinner in Vegas. We will surely be going back the next time we are in Vegas!

Cheesyliciousness - The Cheesecake Factory

December 28, 2011

The Cheesecake Factory, Las Vegas NV

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Herb Crusted Filet of Salmon

Skinnylicious Fresh Vegetable Salad

Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta

Low Carb Cheesecake with Strawberries

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Our second time at this particular Cheesecake Factory and again, we were not disappointed. We went a bit early, for Vegas anyways. Thus, t

here was only a 30 minute wait. Mom and I passed some time at Express. I found a shirt I liked only to find that it was $19.99 instead of $9.99. Going back to the restaurant empty handed, we were led upstairs. The setting was much more quiet and with the straw lawn chairs, the setting was more casual. It was nice all the same.

Mom saw the picture for the Herb Crusted Fillet of Salmon on the menu and it looked delicious. Only, she was surprised to see only one piece of fish - the photo she saw was for catering. Regardless, the food was still good. A few more pieces of asparagus would have been better, and the salmon was decent. The mashed potatoes were good, but there was too much we just couldn't finish it.

I decided to go with a refreshing Skinnylicious Fresh Vegetable Salad. Apples, beets, asparagus, green beans, and edamame never fails to please me. Dressing on th

e side was also a good idea. The pomegranate vinaigrette did not taste like pomegranate, just sour. There was plenty of lettuce though so refreshing it certainly was.

Dad, not feeling up to a lot of meat, decided to go with the Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta, which was actually delicious. The sweet and spicy chipotle sauce was grea

t! The pasta was not overcooked, and the tortilla strips added a nice texture to the dish. The only downside was that there was not much veggies in the plate. The pasta was great though.

Finally, you can't go to The Cheesecake Factory without eating cheesecake. I wanted to try the original - after all, it's traditional and therefore must be good! Their low carb option was even better. Mom did not enjoy it as much since it was too creamy and rich, just a big slice of

cheesecake, but the strawberries were nice. Although, I was disappointed that they were not glazed like the ones on the non-low carb slices. The few pieces in the glass bowl just did not do it for me. It was not the best cheesecake ever, so I guess traditional is not always good.

To everyone's delight, though, their whole wheat bread is always delicious. Slightly sweetened somehow, very rich, whole wheat flavors... we took some to go for breakfast the next day. Mom and I have a soft spot for it, that's for sure! Overall though, the price is decent, much more worth it than many other casual dining restaurants.

The Sweet Ol' Times - White Chocolate Cheesecake

February 14, 2010

Cactus Club Cafe, Richmond BC

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White Chocolate Cheesecake

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This was such a long time ago. I think it was our first time going to a formal western restaurant as a family, and what better occasion than Valentine’s Day! If I recall correctly, Mom had salmon and Dad had rob's hunter chicken. I had prawn + scallop spaghettini I believe. All the dishes were delicious. The chicken breast is always missing some flavor - it's hard to get the meat to just simmer with flavor. I get it. Unfortunately, no photos exist for those.

I was only concerned about dessert back then and this white chocolate cheesecake was the best I have ever had – sweet but not too sweet, and creamy. The berry compote provided a nice sour complement and the white chocolate taste was amazing. One of the best cheesecakes ever (and cheesecake is already the best dessert one could ask for)!

A Taste of Sweet Italy - Tiramisu Cheesecake

June 21, 2011

The Cheesecake Factory, Las Vegas NV

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Tiramisu Cheesecake

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So I have decided to turn this blog into a food diary. Sounds delicious yes? Seeing friends' posts of scrumptious platters on Facebook often makes my stomach growl. To save the rest from the same fate, instead of Facebook, I shall turn to my old Blogger. Well, here begins one tasty journey... with a slice of Tiramisu Cheesecake.

Mascarpone cheese in a cake sounds nice already. Add more cheese and it turns into a delicate slice of cheesecake. After sampling the Red Velvet and White Chocolate ones in Hawaii a few months earlier, this time, Mom and I decided to go to Italy. Why not? We had pasta for dinner so it was only fitting to end an Italian meal with Italian sweetness.

Sweetness it is. And creamy and smooth. I went light on the whip but the light hint coffee and cocoa, and cheese of course, was just about perfect.