(thecheesecakefactory.com) – Seattle, Washington

How I heard of this place: The first time I learned of the Cheesecake Factory was from my sister, Mojgan, years ago. In fact, she also first introduced me to this particular branch when I visited her in the Courthouse neighborhood on one of my many visits to Washington, DC.

Type of cuisine: A typical corporate-style chain establishment, with a variety of options including pizzas, salads, burgers, and pastas in flavors inspired by Mexico, Italy, North America,and beyond .

Ambiance: A large establishment, with high ceilings, yellowed walls and decorative glass light fixtures, both hanging from the ceiling and on the walls. Dark brown, wooden backed booths and chair-table seating (in the bar as well) can be found throughout the small spaces created in the venue. Music plays in the background on this evening, sometimes loudly, as the hustle and bustle of restaurant spaces can be heard and felt. Patrons are not shy to speak to their dining companions aloud, but rarely do conversation topics make it to the neighboring tables. The staff, clad in white jeans and button-up shirts, white aprons and shoes are never far away, very friendly and eager to please. At the entrance, like other Factories, hostesses smile behind a large wood and granite slab-lined podium, awaiting the name and number in your party. As you wait for your name to be called, one can visit the cheesecakes and seven-layer cakes on display at the take-away counter, or make your selections for dessert! The tiled floor always sparkles with shine, as your party is guided to its seats. Tall, green plants create a sense of nature in an otherwise dimly-lit, modern-Romanesque setting. Windows along the front side of the establishment look out over the beach, and the beautiful summer sky as it changes from blue to orange to pink with the setting sun.

What I ordered: A few friends and I made our way to the Cheesecake Factory after a day of visiting the Seattle Aquarium and shopping downtown. On this visit, I ordered the BBQ Salmon dinner special ($14.95) with broccoli and mashed potatoes. The dining companion seated next to me, selected the Monerey Cheeseburger ($10.95) and ended her meal with a decaf coffee ($2.95). Our third dining companion ordered a Strawberry Lemonade ($4.50) to start, her regular Chicken Madeira ($16.95), and a Fresh Banana Cream Cheesecake ($6.95) with a side of decaf coffee to end the meal ($2.95). Her eight-year-old daughter ordered the appetizer version of the Roadside Sliders ($8.50), four sliders with a side of fries, Deluxe ($1). The always bustling, full, yet large, open establishment with tall ceilings is bedazzled with the same ornamentation of other Cheesecake Factories around the country, with yellowed walls, intricate glass light fixtures and wicker seats at the bar, dark wooden, tall-backed booths all around.

On a return visit, Thursday, 2 January 2014: With friends in town and friends to see, we made our way back to the Cheesecake Factory for a quick lunch. Having eaten a larger breakfast, and knowing that I would indulge in the bread basket, I opted for a small Warm Asparagus Salad ($6.95) off of the SkinnyLicious menu, complete with roasted tomatoes, grilled asparagus, toasted pine nuts and a sunny-up egg on top!

What I loved: I always love the Cheesecake Factory salmon, soft, tender, juicy and a lot of it!

Why I loved it: The lunch portions are always filling and the food consistent. You know what you are going to get at the Cheesecake Factory, and I have not been disappointed.

Cost: Average to high ($9.95-$19.95 per lunch entree)