by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
While they do cheesecake well, their menu is far too massive for them to do everything well. The best thing to do is to ask your server. If they’ve been there more than a couple of days, they can tell you what the tastiest items are. That being said, there really is something for everybody on the menu (like their slogan says). If you’re watching your weight, turn to the “weight management salads” section, or just ignore it completely and skip ahead to the filet mignon or a tasty sandwich.
Whatever you decide to order, make sure you save room for dessert. The word cheesecake is in the name, after all. Right now you can get one of the Cheesecake Factory’s holiday offerings: their Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake.
The Grape is a growing chain of wine restaurants. They focus on wine, but the food tastes marvelous and is worth trying, even if you’re not into wine. The Grape also serves iced or hot tea, coffee or water. The number of wines available by the glass is staggering. Luckily, the menu breaks the wines down into ten color-coded taste classifications.
Mediterranean quesadillas are the most popular item on the menu, possibly because they are a twist on the familiar, but also because they are quite tasty – packed with feta, sweet sun-dried tomato pesto, provolone and, of course, chicken.
Their Le Chocolat dessert is a study in decadence–chocolate cake and chocolate mousse encased in a dark chocolate shell, lightly flavored with butter toffee, caramel and a strawberry sauce.
They often have entertainment in the evenings (like jazz) so check yourgrape.com under the tab of “What’s happening” for a schedule of the upcoming wine events and entertainment at The Grape.
This is an order-at-the-window type of place, but the food is healthy and tasty. Ever had an organic banana? Until I plunged a fork into Healthy Way’s fruit salad I never had. It was so full of life and flavor that regular bananas will be forever ruined for me. Salmon-lovers simply must try the Healthy Way Wrap, a delicious combination of wild salmon, organic romaine, lettuce, tomatoes and spouts.
The food isn’t the whole story here; even the seemingly plastic knives and forks are made of a “potato-plastic” that biodegrades in less than two months in a compost heap. The clear cups are also made of another biodegradable material, derived from corn, though they look and feel like conventional plastic.
Can I just say—yum. And they pour stiff cocktails here, always a plus. This is a fabulous place for corporate Italian dining. The place has flavor, with black and whites of Italian-American men and women from the 1930s on.
You can opt for family style dining, which means you get large portions that everyone shares, kind of like dining at home—the casserole comes to the table and everybody puts some onto their plate. It’s a great value and you can try a little of everything, especially if you can convince everyone at the table to go in for family style.
I like pancakes, but I’ve never been to the Original Pancake House in the Town Center. It’s easy to miss because it’s not part of the walking area, but is situated in one of the front parking lots adjacent to the main road. Sometimes nothing less than a hearty breakfast will do after a hard day of shopping.
Last time I was there, everyone (including the servers) was slip-sliding on their beautiful, though treacherous, wood floors. The food’s expensive but it’s got a great atmosphere to go with the expense. It’s a favorite date and pre/post prom place. The food is upscale Chinese American, with selections such as lo mein, Cantonese roasted duck and Kung Pao chicken.
If you’ve ever been struck with the urge to eat buffalo, Ted’s is the place to do it. They also serve conventional steak and burgers for the less adventurous.
Four restaurants are launching with Phase II of the Town Center
j. alexander’s is a contemporary American restaurant placing a special emphasis on food quality and professional service. They feature an interesting array of in-house chef-prepared products.
cantina laredo serves authentic Mexican dishes in a sophisticated atmosphere. Apparently they serve “gourmet Mexican food.” Can’t wait to try it.
mitchell’s fish market is actually a seafood restaurant with a focus on supplying extremely fresh fish dishes.
the capital grille covers the steak end of fine dining, though they do have an array of other things for your pleasure.
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