Cheesecake Factory is a place this writer has gone to for years. Little did I know that they had a sister restaurant called Grand Lux Cafe which is just as fabulous when it comes to the execution of its mouthwatering dishes and so much more.
Normally the idea of writing about a place that isn't a one off or local to Manhattan is something I'm not keen on however I'm happy to make an exception every once in a while. Grand Lux Cafe, situated about 20 minutes outside of The Big Apple at Roosevelt Field Mall, was worth the quick trip on the LIRR for an afternoon of food and fun with my good pal.
Indoor dining is still available in Long Island and other areas of the state as opposed to NYC and is doing so in the safest of manners. So I felt comfortable heading inside Grand Lux Cafe which reminded me so much of Cheesecake Factory from the moment I entered through its shiny glass doors.
It's a place that's massive in size and equally adult and child friendly. This is something you'd go to during one of your marathon shopping sprees as a way to fill up and keep your energy going so you can continue swiping your credit card as the day goes on. Overall it has a great energy to it not to mention a very friendly staff who were quite attentive to me and my friend during our visit.
The food, just like the decor, is again similar to Cheesecake Factory. What's problematic, and this is a good thing, is the copious amount of menu items that were too good to resist! I came on an empty stomach and naturally wanted to order everything but I was able to narrow things down to what I thought would taste the best.
Boy was I right. Grand Lux Cafe has a delectable amount of pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, appetizers and more to choose from. The starters that turned out to be heavenly were their Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Volcano Shrimp.
The former featured a yummy Asian sauce that paired wonderfully with the perfectly cooked chicken and cool lettuce wraps while the latter spiced things up a bit thanks to its chili aioli on the side.
That aioli was also featured in their Asian Short Rib Tacos. Superbly delicious with a house-made Korean Kim Chi that didn't overwhelm my palate.
I was in the mood for all things pasta for my entree course and again Grand Lux Cafe did not disappoint. I selected their Sunday Night Pasta with chunks of Beef Short Rib, Ground Beef and Onions and Garlic which reminded me of being at home with my family on a cold winter's night.
My friend opted for their Cafe Beef Wellington which, to be honest, was some of the best tasting meat I've sunk my teeth to in a while. Not only that but the dish included puff pastry which paired so well with the scrumptious beef and Madeira Wine Sauce.
Make sure to save room for dessert as they specially make it for you at the beginning of your order. A Warm Rustic Apple Pie with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream is the absolutely perfect way to end your meal. Bottom line: Grand Lux Cafe is definitely a place I recommend visiting this winter and beyond.
More information can be found here.
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