The Cheesecake Factory Delivers Authentic American Dining
There's one thing you can be sure of following a visit to Beijing's new The Cheesecake Factory: You're going to come out hurting. Not your, "we really didn't need those noodles in the hot pot" kind of hurting, but the kind of pain that can only come from American portions of meat, sugar, and stodge, the deep-gut hurt that is accompanied with a slight cross-eyedness courtesy of your stomach resting on a primary artery somewhere below where the air in your lungs used to go.
Now the third branch of the 30-year-old, Beverly Hills-borne family restaurant to open in Asia (following Hong Kong and Shanghai), Beijing's branch touches down in the mall of the moment, WF Central. The setting is suitably plush for a transplant of this stature (at least in nostalgic value) and only acts to highlight the relatively old-timey nature of The Cheesecake Factory's predominantly brown decor, amber backlit cutout panels, and quaint flower decals. Stepping over the threshold, you really could be in any one of its venues around the world.
Walking the length of the snaking central partition that divides the restaurant into bar and booths, there was a real buzz among patrons staring at their too-big-to-be-true servings, savoring the spectacle before being replaced with the aforementioned pain. It happened to be staff training day (the restaurant opened proper earlier this week), giving the dining room an additional momentum courtesy of the fly-in foreign team who were conscientiously guiding the Chinese wait staff on how to deliver the perfect slice of 'Murican hospitality. To that effect, every item that graced the table was launched alongside a jovial "enjoy your meal!", sometimes not even by the same server but by another who swooped in to express their excitement. It also meant that each table had access to only a portion of the 250-plus item menu, which in fact turned out to be a positive given that choosing what to gorge on was already proving difficult.
Beijing's most expensive chicken wings?
I'm not quite sure I can describe how big the portions are here other than by saying that we could only eat half of any given dish. That may be a downside for some but expect to be leaving with doggie bags. It also takes the sting off the prices a little, which certainly aren't low. Case in point, the starter of perfectly fine Buffalo chicken wings, which to be fair must have been about six American-sized chicken's worth, cost a whopping RMB 158. Heeding chicken mountain as a warning sign, we ate half and waited for the mains.
The chicken Madeira wouldn't even fit in the frame
That decision was wise given that the plate of chicken Madeira (RMB 183) was equivalent to a child's torso. Two fillets of chicken underneath a layer of melted cheese sat alongside an (un)healthy (mom-sized) helping of mashed potato, asparagus, and a thick Madeira wine sauce with mushrooms. The rich tar-like sauce itself was borderline too sweet, but the buttery mash was bang-on, and coupled with the succulent chicken, aided in muting some of the syrupiness.
The comparatively austere Cuban sandwich
The Cuban sandwich (RMB 128, comes with a choice of fries or salad) was a more subdued choice and made for a fine rendition of the Florida favorite. The two substantial layers of roasted pork and ham provided the base for a generous melting of cheese, crunchy pickles, and piquant mustard, all housed in a Cuban loaf toasted and brushed in oil. Just be sure to chew plenty as this thing is as thick as a brick.
At this point, new colors were starting to enter my field of vision and breathing had taken a decidedly conscious turn, but it would need one final push in order to survive the true Cheesecake Factory experience through, of course, consumption of a wedge of their signature cheesecake.
The final slice
So as to suit the occasion, we opted for the special 30th-anniversary edition, with alternating levels of classic cheesecake and brownie (RMB 69 per slice, entire 10-inch cake RMB 578), topped with a dense swirl of icing, chocolate shards, and biscuit balls. The cake did not disappoint but was getting more and more difficult to gulp down, the whipped cream acting as a lubricant for each creamy and gooey calorie-encumbered bite.
Despite the pain, only a few crumbs and the unpleasant, dense swirl of icing remained, which to me proved that yes, The Cheesecake Factory may just have one of the best selections of dessert in the capital. You're unlikely to make it your weekend go-to but the gluttonous dining experience is enough of a draw alone and is likely to see its fair share of couples looking for a post-movie, pre-sleep treat, just as it has become known for in the States. Although the prices are hard to swallow, it'll help to remember that a single visit gets you two meals for one, and there'll be plenty waiting for you in the fridge when you eventually jolt awake thanks to a plummeting blood sugar level the next day.
The Cheesecake Factory 芝乐坊
Mon-Fri, 11am-10pm; Sat-Sun 10am-10pm. 412-419, 4/F, East Building, WF Central, 269 Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District (6525 1238; WeChat: CheesecakeFactory芝乐坊)
东城区王府井大街269号4层412-419室
Photos: Tom Arnstein
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