Anthony P.
Yelp
I'm a recent re-transplant to the area. I lived and worked here almost 20 years ago, and now I'm fortunate enough to have a vacation home here.
My wife and kids and I had just finished up our summer 2 hour special at Boomers when we decided on getting dinner out. I wanted Ponzu in PS, but my wife was quick to point out that they didn't have a kids menu or typical kids' dishes (I had to confirm with a quick call and, as usual, she was right... Smh).
So we headed towards home in RM and I quickly blurted out how about the Cheesecake Factory? After a resounding "Yay !" from everyone, I quickly turned into the parking lot by REI and found a great spot. It was our second time at the River having been here just the night before for some games at Dave and Busters.
I must admit, the powers that be at the Cheesecake Factory corporation did a fabulous job of designing this particular location. From the moment you enter, you're surrounded by space. I never felt crowded and our booth had to be one of the biggest my family of 5 sat in.
Check in was OK, with the hostess asking for my cell phone number. She got it wrong the first time and, it turns out, she got my name wrong, too. Another party who came after us got seated before us due to the name confusion, but it turned out to be an exceptional twist of fate.
Our server, Leo, was absolutely amazing. In fact, he ranks in the top 5 of the most attentive, polite, and responsive servers I have ever had the privilege of dining with.
From the moment he took our order to the serving of our entrees to the refilling of our drinks, Leo was top notch. He remembered I had a Coke Zero and made sure I was never less than half full. He knew what each of us was drinking and even called it out by name, "another unsweetened iced tea, a Zero and a Coke?"
He checked in on us at least five times and never once did he approach when I had food in my mouth so I could confirm everything was delicious.
When it came time for dessert, my wife and I wanted to try the" Low-licious" cheesecake and I assumed Leo hadn't tried it. However, I had to ask. He amazed me when he told me he did indeed try it. He said he wasn't a fan of sweet desserts, but that he liked the Low-licious. He even said, "since you like Zero, you'll probably like it."
He recommended the strawberries with it. It was as he said, not overly sweet, about 1/3-1/2 less calories than the regular cheesecakes, and oh so good.
The other notable dishes were the ahi and shrimp ceviche and the Korean Fried Chicken. The ceviche, which is a relatively new offering, was absolutely delicious. It will be our go-to appetizer when we come back. The presentation belied it's amazing flavors. You can taste the individual flavors of the tuna and shrimp along with the blend of both in each bite. There is some heat, mind you, and it builds very gradually. In fact, after finishing our appetizer, I felt a warmth in my chest like I had some brandy, but it was just the sauce bidding farewell to my taste buds as I waited for my main entree.
The Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) was okay. The lighting was low and the pieces of chicken looked like wings so I picked one up with my hands. I was surprised that what I thought was a wing was a breaded and cut chicken medallion.
I've had authentic KFC from both Fullerton in OC and Koreatown in LA. If you're expecting that type of chicken, look elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, it was a unique take on the dish with tempura breaded medallions tossed in Korean seasonings, soy sauce glaze and sesame seeds.
A bed of white rice, pickled kimchee, cucumbers, avocados and mushrooms rounded out the dish. While I was disappointed that I didn't get what I was expecting, I was still pleased with the flavors and the 'factory's take on it.
As I have written before about their other locations, the menu is just too broad and varied to get a feel of what they are really known for (outside of the obvious cheesecakes). However, for this one particular location, for us it will be their service over their food and in particular, Leo.
This young man will go far in hospitality if he continues to demonstrate such excellent customer service and attention to detail. Heck, he'll go far even outside of hospitality. But let's hope he'll stick around a bit longer so other people can get this type of service, even if just once...