Restaurant Review: The Cheesecake Factory
14 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
I know it’s a chain, but I have a soft spot in my heart for The Cheesecake Factory. Along with eating some terrific slices of cheesecake, I’ve made some wonderful memories there.
One year on my birthday, for instance, Paul and Dalton were out of town, so I met Whitney and my momma at The Cheesecake Factory for a birthday dinner. I had a 6-month old Lily with me. Somehow, amidst the conversation, laughs, and food, Whitney pulled Lily’s pants off. Momma laughed so hard she cried. I just took another bite of my Tres Leches cheesecake, a dreamy blend of cheesecake and the sweetness of Tres Leches cake.
Today, Momma and the kids and I went for dinner. I had the Red Velvet Cheesecake, which has completely redefined dessert. Two layers of red velvet cake, two layers of original cheesecake, all slathered in cream cheese frosting. Oh. My. Goodness. The macaroni and cheese was good, too.
Perhaps my favorite memory, though, is my first visit to The Cheesecake Factory.
One day after we had started our new tech writing jobs in Austin, co-blogger Whitney and I decided to go out to lunch. Neither of us had ever been to the Factory, and we needed a break from the cubes. At the time, we hadn’t planned on a 2-hour break, but that’s what we got. If I remember correctly, we thought we were going to a nifty soup/sandwich lunch spot. We were oh so wrong.
We ordered Avocado Eggrolls for an appetizer. Since then, I’ve rarely taken a trip to the Factory without having the Avocado Eggrolls. They are one of my favorite appetizers anywhere. Avocados and sun-dried tomatoes, snuggled in a wrapper, fried = YUM. And, the Factory has a fabulous tamarind dipping sauce for them–a little sweet, a little tangy, totally addictive. Next, we moved on to the main course. I’m not 100% sure, but I think it was this occasion that I also discovered the Stuffed Chicken Tortillas, which according to the menu are “Corn Tortillas Stuffed with Spicy Chicken, Covered with Melted Cheese, Green Onion, Tomatillo Sauce and Cilantro. Served with Grilled Corn Cakes, Black Beans, Salsa and Sour Cream.” Um, yes, they were good. I’ve ordered them since. But the grand finale is what left me and Whitney almost speechless.
It was called Chocolate Silk and Satin Cheesecake, and it was layers of wonder upon wonder. The Factory no longer offers it on their menu; they say the Tuxedo Cream Cheesecake is the closest match now. I could try to describe it, but what Whitney said as we were about halfway through our slice says it best. “This,” she said as she slipped a bite of creamy cheesecake into her mouth, “is better than sex.”
Restaurant Review: Black’s Barbecue
09 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
I’m Texan, and I like Texan-type barbecue. Well, let me be honest: I love Texas barbecue. I will admit to using a barbecue sauce from up North, but let’s not the good folks of Oklahoma know I told you about it. Because I had heard a nearby town was famous for barbecue and because I found myself there not so long ago, I decided to stop in and see if Lockhart, Texas, is really the capital of this Texas delicacy. There are several restaurants to choose from, so I decided to start with one that had been featured on the Travel Channel. Black’s defines their restaurant as, “Texas’ oldest and best major barbecue restaurant continuously owned by the same family.”
Location: Black’s Barbecue is located at 215 North Main Street in Lockhart, Texas. Lockhart is a short, easy drive on 183 South from Austin.
Atmosphere: Black’s has that small, hole-in-the-wall feeling. From the handwritten signs to the wooden booths, Black’s was definitely old school, but I like that vibe–as I settled into lunch, I found myself slowing down and enjoying myself more. And while it was no frills, a couple of guys were playing live music near the back of the restaurant as I finished my meal. They had me at their rendition of Folsom Prison Blues. Cash and ‘que. How’s that for ambiance?
Service: While Black’s is small and set up as a serve-yourself buffet for all the sides, employees take and prepare your meat order, plus they fill and refill your drink. They were polite, not pushy, and I loved the drink service.
Taste: I took the buffet idea seriously and turned my tray into a barbecue trimmings sampler, if you will. I tried the green beans, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, sweet pickles, and barbecue beef sandwich. I might have accidentally also saved room for some banana pudding and chocolate pudding. My favorite was a tie between the green beans (super savory and not drowning in bacon) and the macaroni and cheese (creamy cheese, yummy noodles). I liked how finely the meat on my sandwich was chopped, but the sauce was not my all-time favorite. Good, definitely, and I would have it again, but it isn’t my all-time favorite barbecue sauce. I’m saving that for another post. My least favorite food was the chocolate pudding. I expected it to be sweet, but it was more bitter than sweet. The banana pudding redeemed the desserts, though, because I usually only eat banana pudding once every three years. And this, I could eat this version every three weeks. Black’s has the usual drink selection, but I went for the lemonade. It’s just meant to be part of the barbecue experience. And, bless them, they have my favorite type of ice–the round ice chips like Sonic.
Cost: My sampler, sandwich, and drink cost about $12.00. Considering this included unlimited refills, I thought it was very reasonable.
Recommendation: Overall, I recommend Black’s. I loved their sides and lemonade. Next time, I’ll probably order a different meat selection, but I know for sure I’ll go back.
Restaurant Review: Johnny’s (Salado, Texas)
02 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment
A couple years ago, the staff at the Texas Capitol Visitor’s Center recommended that my visiting family try Johnny’s in Salado, Texas. We made other plans during their visit, but I always remembered the recommendation for Johnny’s and kind of put it in the back of my mind to try some day.
Recently, my kids spent a few days with their grandparents, so Paul and I decided to spend Saturday in Salado. For our late lunch, we went to Johnny‘s. Overall, our experience was fine, but I have to say that I was a little disappointed in the service, food, and surroundings.
The Service
When we entered the restaurant, we didn’t quite know what to do. We stood in the doorway, which is often the expected while waiting to be seated at a restaurant. There was no sign “Seat Yourself” or anything, so we stood there. After a few awkward minutes, a gal at a counter hollered at us that she had the menus. So, we walked up to the counter. No one greeted us, not even a “hello” or anything.
The Food
The menu is what it is: steaks and barbecue. Nothing fancy. The special on Saturday is sirloin steak for two, so that’s what we settled on. Each came with a side salad and choice of potato and toast. The side salad was bland. It was a simple bowl of iceberg lettuce with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and two spongy tomato wedges. The Thousand Island dressing, though, was very tasty, and I loved that they put an entire bottle of dressing on the table. That way, I could put as little or as much as I wanted on the salad. Like the salads, the mashed potatoes were horribly bland. I added some sour cream, salt, and pepper to try to save them. The big highlight of the meal, though, was the steak. It was cooked over mesquite, and the flavor was evident. Paul and I both agreed that the seasoning was very good. The steak was a little more well done than the medium we ordered, but it was still very flavorful.
The Surroundings
Some places have a theme. If I were to describe the decor theme at Johnny’s, I would call it “Yard Sale Specials” because that’s exactly what the hodge podge of tables, chairs, and decor looks like inside the tiny place. I counted several different styles of chairs, from what looked like old Sunday school chairs to old dining room chairs from a camping cabin to other styles. And, I don’t mind a “hole in wall” feel to a restaurant–especially when it seems intentional. The thing about Johnny’s is that nothing seemed intentional at all. I couldn’t count the number of antlers or deer heads on the wall. Taxidermy creeps me out a bit, but even so Johnny’s had way too much. And, they were just haphazardly slapped onto the walls. The other decor resembled garage sale finds like Texaco signs and other cheeky quotes on plastic.
Because the steak was really good, we give this place 2.5 out of 5 stars.
