By Dennis Chu on June 4, 2012 • ( Leave a comment )

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY

Address: 3710 U.S. Rt. 9, Freehold, NJ 07728

I still remember the first time that we were going to this place called “The Cheesecake Factory,” I got so excited about the fact that I would be able to have cheesecake for dinner, since that’s the only thing I thought they served. With me being fairly young at the time, I would leap at such an opportunity to enjoy something as decadent as cheesecake. Imagine my surprise when we got to the restaurant that this place also served all this other food as well!

It has been quite a few years since then, but I have gone back to The Cheesecake Factory a multitude of times since then, always leaving that place satisfied of another fantastic meal. This past visit was no exception. My family and I went to The Cheesecake Factory on an Wednesday evening, which certainly cut down on the crowds that were dining out. To our surprise, we were seated almost immediately after arriving (there is usually at least a 15 – 20 minute wait).

We started things off with a fried calamari appetizer, which was made golden brown to perfection. There was just a slight bit of salt added to the calamari to balance it with the tartness of the marinara sauce. I have always been a big fan of their burgers, and to my delight, I found out that they had added a Macaroni and Cheese burger as a part of their most recent menu changes. I have tried a number of different foods put onto a burger before, from pulled pork to potato chips to chili, but mac and cheese was definitely a new one. I mean, how can you turn down fried macaroni and cheese balls on your burger? It sounded fantastic!

The burger was cooked just right at medium rare with a nice melted slice of cheddar cheese and the fried mac and cheese loaded on top of that, with more cheese to boot. Add in some toasted hamburger buns, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and pickles, and you had one fantastic cheese-filled sensation. The creaminess of the mac and cheese makes the burger extra moist, with the fried breading adding a little bit of crunch to it.

To finish things off, I took home a slice from their numerous cheesecake selections (there are probably over twenty options on the dessert menu). I opted for their pineapple upside-down cheesecake, and it was certainly fantastic. A nice layer of pineapple on the outside, with some pineapple cheesecake sandwiched in between two layers of pineapple upside-down cake. It was a great mix of fruit, cheesecake, and regular cake, each time you took a bite.

Cheesecake Factory has never disappointed me with their generous portions and great food. I will certainly be returning for many more meals to come.

Here are my rankings for Cheesecake Factory:

Food: 5 / 5
Stellar selection, great portions, and incredibly delicious.

Atmosphere: 5 / 5
All of their restaurant locations always feel very open with the high ceilings, and the dimmed lighting also adds to the ambiance as well.

Service: 5 / 5
Every time I have gone, the waitstaff has always been very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. S/he would also return numerous times to check on our meal to see how we were doing.

Price: 4.5 / 5
Although prices are high, I think that for the portion size they are very reasonable.

Overall: 19.5 / 20 (98%)