This OP is mainly aimed at Dopers who are “foodies”–people who know their food, know their cooking, and definitely know their restaurants. Just a little background information about me: I love to cook, I watch a lot of Food Network, and I’d go out to eat a lot more often if I could afford it. I like to think I’m discriminating in what I eat and where I go for it, at least as much as finances allow. As it is, I’m sick of fast food, bad chain pizzas, and boring franchise restaurants like Friday’s and Chili’s. I like to take a little risk when I eat because I love food so much. I love spicy food, I love exotic dishes, I love small mom-and-pop restaurants, and I’m always willing to try something new. My family and most of my friends do not share this mindset, by the way, so I can count the number of times I’ve gone out for Indian or Thai on my fingers and have some to spare. Isn’t that a shame? I just don’t go out to eat alone, so I end up at Sonny’s Barbecue and Generic Bar And Grill more often than I would like.
All that said, I think Cheesecake Factory is a terrific restaurant. I know the general consensus among “foodies” is that chains = BAD, but I think this place is so far beyond your typical Applebee’s that it can’t even compare. It’s definitely more expensive, too, so I consider it a strict “special occasions” place. Their menu is so expansive, I read that thing like a 14-year-old boy would read Penthouse Magazine. Every dish I’ve ordered there has been wonderful, and so gigantic that I can usually take it home and make another meal out of it later. Everything from their barbecue chicken sandwich to their fish tacos to their jambalaya pasta is awesome (among the best I’ve ever had), and I’ve had barbecue in Memphis, Mexican in San Diego, and Cajun in New Orleans. I know people complain about homogeneity and blandness and sameness, but they have such a variety in that porn-like menu that just about anyone can find something they like at the 'Factory. Also, the cheesecakes are out of this world. I’ve never had their equal, especially that chocolate peanut butter cream cheesecake. That’s just too good.
So what’s the deal? Do other “foodies” cut Cheesecake Factory some slack, or are they “the enemy” just like places like Olive Garden? I say, give credit where credit is due. Of course, I’m a 26-year-old guy, I’m usually poor, and I’m not used to “fine dining” at places with linen tablecloths and celebrity chefs. For me, it doesn’t get much better than this. Does anyone love it or hate it, or know the “inside scoop” about the company? I’d be very interested what cuisine-informed Dopers have to say.
I’m not really a “foodie”, I think, but I do like to eat out at a variety of places whenever possible.
Maybe it’s just the one I’ve been to, but I’ve personally found Cheesecake Factory to be average at best. Kinda bland, mostly inoffensive, and taking no chances. About the only thing justifying the prices they charge is that the portions are usually fairly substantial. I’ll still eat there, but it’s never my first or even second choice.
Ironically, I still haven’t tried their cheesecake.
Generally, I have no problems with chains. I’ll eat anywhere with good food.
If a restaurant serves good food, it’s good food. Period.
Food is meant to be tasted, and a meal is meant to satisfy hunger. If supreme artistry can be thrown in without sacrificing these tenets, we are the first to applaud. But neither artistry nor adventurousness are substitutes for flavor and satisfaction.
One must always be wary of those who style themselves critics, especially the professional ones. As with film critics, when one’s job is to partake of whatever your editor tells you to, you’re going to developed some warped sensibilities.
A trip to England a couple of years ago taught me the value of reliability in a restaurant. We have the luxury in America of a majority of fine dining establishments, and adventures in eating carry little real risk in this country. Not so across the pond, and I am once bitten, twice shy. If I can walk into a place and know that the likelihood of any random menu item being delicious and satisfying, it’s a good restaurant.
By that measure, Cheescake Factory is a fine restaurant. As they grow, I sadly expect a reduction in quality to follow, but right now, they serve delicious, and occasionally surprising, dishes. Their variety is perhaps not as wide as other venues, but a good piece of barbecued chicken, regardles of the seasoning, will always be a good piece of barbecued chicken.
And there’s nothing on God’s Green Earth like the Tiramisu Cheesecake.
I’m a food snob. The Cheesecake Factory is very overrated. My aunts and grandmother LOVE it, though. The feel like they’re really getting the best bang for their buck what with their gigantamous portions and all.
I’ve eaten there twice. The first time I went just to see what all the hype was about. The second time I was practically dragged kicking and screaming. I remember peering around the mountain of greens that was my Oriental salad and whispering harshly to my Granny that she owed me one. Big time.
The food isn’t bad it’s just unremarkable. It’s got no personality. I’d much rather take my money and dine at, say, The Bicycle, Louisiana or even Edo Sushi.
I’ve found their quality very high, but their menu does aim squarely toward upscale Middle American tastes. They don’t venture much past that.
That said, though, they do what they do well. And the cheesecake is good.
A chain is not necessarily a bad thing. Two of my favorite restaurants are chains. I always get a good meal at Maggiano’s, and my Sicilian uncle raves about the place.
And Todai, which is a West Coast chain, will serve you all-you-can-eat sushi until you explode. I’m counting the days until their location opens in Fairfax County.
There’s nothing inherently bad about a chain restaurant. They do tend to be less likely to take risks with unusual menu items. I’ve really enjoyed the Cheesecake Factory when I’ve been there.
(But this is bugging me – are people actually using the made-up word “foodie”, for Christ’s sake? Is it reserved for situations in which existing words such as “connoisseur”, “gourmet”, “gourmand” or “epicure” just don’t cut it? “Foodie” really sounds a bit moronic.)
And since I’ve probably already pissed people off – why is this thread in Cafe Society and not IMHO? We’ve had several food-related threads in here lately.
I’ve eaten the food at Cheesecake Factory once or twice, and it seemed pretty average to me. I’ve tried their cheesecake once (went there specifically for it, because you never have room if you dine there!) and thought it was pretty damn good. But I’m not a cheesecake conoisseur by any means, and tend to love any sugary fat-filled food I can shove into my mouth.
I think the food is decent, but the place is over-rated. I can find a lot of places where the food is better and I don’t have to wait for an hour to get in.
Food snob. The only problem I have with chains, is that all dishes are done per spec, no creativity allowed.
Cheesecake factory has amazing cheesecake. Period. It. Is. Heavenly. I have dreams about the white chocolate raspberry truffle cheesecake.
Their regular menu…it is overpriced for what they offer, and the menu is too varied to allow their food to be anything but decent to good.
They try to be everything, and just can’t. I think, were they to settle on one specific genre (Mediterranian, Thai, California Cuisine, etc) the food would have a chance to really speak for itself. As it is, for the prices they’re asking, I’ll frequent a different restaurant with really good food which also happens to offer Cheesecake Factory cheesecake.
I’ve never been to TCF, but this is a general point: I don’t consider huge portions a selling point of a restaurant, particuarly a good one. I prefer a small appetizer and a medium sized entree so that when I finish it, I’m just right.
I don’t like leaving food on my plate.
I hate asking a place to “wrap it up”.
I find the appearance of a huge portion unappetizing, “here ya go, PIG!”
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I was pretty disappointed with Louisiana. But they went through a chef-change or something at one point, if I’m not mistaken. Can you recommend a dish – I’m down in that part of Fells quite a bit.
Here’s a small recommendation for Baltimoreans: Do you like Thai? Do you like shrimp? If so, hit Thai Arroy (BYOB) on Light, and get E-17. It’s the best dish in town.
IMO, TA is the best Thai in town. I think a former cook of Thai Landing cooks there now.
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My experience with Cheesecake factory is that everything but the cheesecake is mediochre standard diner fair, but the Cheesecake is very good. Not the very best Cheesecake arround, but the best choice of types of cheesecake. What else would you expect from a place called Cheesecake factory. Then again Chilli’s doesn’t do nice Chill, or good spicy food, so maybe names don’t mean much.
Well, if you’re comparing it to Applebee’s, it’s wonderful. But “better than Applebee’s” is damning it with faint praise.
There’s a lot of variety, but none of it is great, closer to passable. It’s a huge amount of ok-ish food for a very high price. There are better restaurants and better chains out there.
Yeah, that phrase really creeps me out. I think “foodie” refers more to someone who literally sexually fetishizes food. They’re usually morbidly obese, and actual get a fetishistic charge out of food and menus (like the OP’s comparind the menu to “Penthouse” [shudder]).
And we wonder why we’re turning into a fat, ugly nation. :rolleyes:
I actually prefer the word “foodie” to “food snob” or gourmet; I fit into the category better. I like a good chili dog; not all the restaurants I frequent are four star; hell, some of 'em don’t even have tables.
It’s not necessary to apply a disorder to everything, is it? the term “foodie” has been around since the eighties, and was then applied to afficianados of nouvelle cuisine.
Nice. Have some cheese with that whine? Oh, I forgot. Too high carb. Never mind. No, most foodies are NOT morbidly obese, in fact most foodies aren’t obese at all. Perhaps you’d like to point a few out? The editor of Bon Apetit? Thin as a rail. And she’s definitely a foodie. As for gushing over food; yep there certainly are areas of the country in which food is considered not just something to shove in your pie hole, but an actual art form; it has nothing to do with massive amounts of food, but the quality of the ingredients and the flair and style with which the chef prepares them. If you scroll up a bit, you may actually find posters who expressed this. Quantity does not = great food.
I charge thee, young clueless one, get thee to a hot spot. I can point you in the direction of several. What’s your pleasure? Thai? Vegetarian? Italian? You name it, I can show you a restaurant that serves good, quality food in reasonable portions which won’t kill your wallet
Whoa, hey now! In my defense to Baldwin and Freejooky, “foodie” is a term I hear tossed around more and more often these days, in mainstream newspapers and magazines and on the Food Network–especially now that their TV chefs are becoming household names and celebrities, and people talk about Emeril and Rachael Ray just like they’d talk about actors or athletes. I considered it a more useful term than “gourmet,” which carries with it connotations of upperclass snobbery. To me, a foodie is someone who just enjoys a good meal, and possibly is interested in the creative process behind it. That is all. I will not use it again if it pisses so many people off.
And Freejooky, whether it was your intent or not, you came across overly harsh toward me. If you have a problem, old son, I’ll see you in The Pit.