After several times of coming to Dubai, I have finally got the chance to dine in the very popular Cheesecake Factory.  I've always wanted to try this famous restaurant because I've heard a lot of positive feedback about it.  However, this dining place is not the type that you can always find anywhere because I think it only has two branches here in the UAE, one in Dubai Mall and another one in Mall of the Emirates.

Last Thursday, before heading home to Abu Dhabi, we decided to drop by a few popular tourist spots in Dubai.  Afterwards, we went to the Mall of the Emirates to have lunch.  The original plan was to eat at the food court so that we can have several options to try.  We didn't actually know that they have The Cheesecake Factory there until Ronnie checked the mall directory (trying to locate where the food court was) and found a huge portion of the map dedicated to the said restaurant.  I'm such a very lucky girl!  It is indeed true that you should expect the unexpected.

The Cheesecake Factory is a US-based restaurant that offers American cuisine and specialty desserts.  My jaw literally dropped in awe while we were being ushered by a woman to our seat, and I was not able to control myself as well in saying "wow!"  This place is huge!  Perhaps, the biggest restaurant I've ever been to in my entire life.  I was thinking that the word "factory" from the name Cheesecake Factory has literally translated to the massive space it has occupied inside the mall.  To date, this is the world's biggest branch of The Cheesecake Factory occupying 2,120 square meters that can accommodate up to 526 customers.

Grandiose is the perfect word to describe this place.  It was overwhelmingly spacious with high ceilings, gigantic yellow lighting fixtures and intricately designed wide columns.  They also have a big open kitchen where you can see busy chefs working on orders and several function rooms which can be reserved (with extra charge) if you would like to dine with some privacy. We were then seated to a couch next to a glass wall overlooking the Ski Dubai and took the menu for our orders.

I ordered their lunch favorite which is the famous Factory Meatloaf (AED 62).  This was actually recommended by my sister who happens to be very much in love with this restaurant.  The single serving of this dish seemed to have been proportioned for sharing.  It came with two big slices of meatloaf, rice, and corn.  The meatloaf was tender you can cut it with a fork and was topped with onions and a rich flavored sauce.  It somehow looked and tasted like Bistek Tagalog.  Generally, I would say that this was not a bad dish.  Perhaps, I have just set a high expectation since it is said to be a lunch "favorite".

My husband, Ronnie, went for a Lunch Pizza and Salad (AED 64).  I love pizza!  Who doesn't?  This small-sized personal pan pizza was served hot, the crust was crunchy, and the toppings were flavorful.  It's so good it would make you feel like each bite tastes more delicious than the last.  This is an absolute winner!  Probably one of the best tasting pizza I have encountered in UAE.

I didn't get my share of the salad though because my sister-in-law commented that she tasted something bitter in it that she didn't like.  Then I remembered the salad that I have eaten in Sofitel Abu Dhabi that tasted so awful.  They looked similar in a way that both used different salad greens.  If they only used lettuce then I could have probably took a couple of bites.  But since some green vegetables looks unfamiliar to me (which might taste awful too), I just decided to skip this dish in my fear of destroying the good mood I have been enjoying then.

My sister-in-law had Pasta Carbonara with Chicken (AED 68).  I am a very picky eater.  I actually eat with my eyes first so basically, I would prefer food that is colorful and well plated.  For me, if something looks good on the plate then that would most likely taste good on my palate as well.  So when it comes to pasta dishes, I would always prefer the one with a red sauce.  A pasta with white sauce looks pale and tastes bland for me.  However, this pasta carbonara had proven me wrong.  It was deliciously tasty!  The serving size was generous enough to be shared and you would feel extra special as well while the waiter shreds an abundant amount of parmesan cheese on the pasta upon serving.

For dessert, it is a must for us to try their Original Cheesecake (AED 28) where the history of this famous restaurant started.  The creamy cheesecake with graham cracker crust and sour cream topping is a perfect treat to finish our meal.  I've never been a cheesecake lover while growing up as a kid but I did appreciate how good this dessert was!  A single slice of their cake is big enough for sharing.  It has a thin graham crust with just the right amount of sweetness.  The sky high creamy cheesecake was smooth, soft, and fluffy you can feel it melting in your mouth.  The whipped cream on the side also complemented the cake in a way that it neutralized the sour taste of the cream cheese filling.

Overall, the good food, the large serving, and the excellent customer service of the staff of The Cheesecake Factory are definitely worth your time and money.  I will surely go back to this restaurant and try the other cheesecakes in their menu!


The Cheesecake Factory
Ground Level, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai
Telephone No.  04 3549362