What's vegan at The Cheesecake Factory restaurant?
Posted by Saskia on Sep 28, 2008 · Member since Jan 2007 · 1976 posts
Someone gave me a gift card from The Cheesecake Factory.
Is there anything vegan on the menu besides a plain green salad?
Posted by krs on Sep 29, 2008 · Member since Jul 2006 · 146 posts
I used to get veg Pad Thai without egg until one waitress figured out I was vegan and mentioned their Pad Thai is made with veal stock. Eww gross.
When I go now, I just get pasta minus the cheese. They have a couple dishes if I remember correctly. One with just tomatoes, basil, and garlic and one with capers and olives (Evelyn's Favorite Pasta, I think it's called). I think I stick mostly to the tomato one because I know it is only dressed with olive oil, but it definitely swims in it. I think they may have had some sort of roasted veg pizza I did once minus the cheese as well, but I'm not sure about that one.
Unless the menu has changed drastically since I went there last year, I would say go ahead and try it as long as you know your best choices are probably pasta minus cheese and/or salad minus egg/meat/cheese without any of their desserts. Of course, their menu is probably online and more updated than I am, so you might want to check their website as well.
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Posted by PhoebeRainier on Sep 29, 2008 · Member since Aug 2006 · 28 posts
I have been there 3 times in the last decade (since being vegan). One time I had some kind of Thai Peanut noodles, but that one was eons ago. The last couple times were under a year and a half ago. Once my waiter was a moron and was SO unhelpful that I ended up ordering a sundae dish of plain strawberries (it's on their dessert menu. You just ask for it without the whipped cream + you have to be willing to shell out $6 for a few strawberries) and a soda. The most recent time my waitress just happened to be a vegetarian with a vegan roommatte, so she was super awesome. She went between me and the kitchen a million times relaying info. She said the pasta had egg (don't know if that was just my location, but ask), and there were some other problems. I finally ended up giving up and telling her, "You seem SO conscientious about this. I'm putting my trust in you. Bring me anything vegan you can think of." Which I have never done, before or since. Oy, the meal she brought was FABULOUS! She'd invented it out of sides. I had a make-my-own-lettuce-wraps plate with mushrooms and lots of other ingredients and dipping sauces. Even a side of some crispy rice noodles with coconut milk. She definitely earned that big tip!
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Posted by veganeatingout on Oct 11, 2008 · Member since Jul 2008 · 71 posts
It's a little hard to decipher from their menu what is safe and what isn't but on my website I have an e-mail response from them I got on 8/15/08. They do have a lot of choices and I would like to see vegetarian and vegan choices marked with a symbol in the future.
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Posted by Saskia on Oct 13, 2008 · Member since Jan 2007 · 1976 posts
Thank you for the menu options. The lettuce wraps (minus the chicken) sound delicious.
Veganeatingout, that was a helpful link you provided with menu info for other chain restaurants as well.
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Posted by Saskia on Oct 13, 2008 · Member since Jan 2007 · 1976 posts
I just got back from dinner ... the Thai lettuce wraps were fantastic. I enjoyed a lovely plate with seasoned cucumbers, carrot threads, bean sprouts, red cabbage wedges among other things and flavorful dipping sauces to create your own lettuce wraps. The food server kindly replaced the chicken with tender asparagus spears. Thank you for the recommendation.
I used to get veg Pad Thai without egg until one waitress figured out I was vegan and mentioned their Pad Thai is made with veal stock. Eww gross.
When I go now, I just get pasta minus the cheese. They have a couple dishes if I remember correctly. One with just tomatoes, basil, and garlic and one with capers and olives (Evelyn's Favorite Pasta, I think it's called). I think I stick mostly to the tomato one because I know it is only dressed with olive oil, but it definitely swims in it. I think they may have had some sort of roasted veg pizza I did once minus the cheese as well, but I'm not sure about that one.
Unless the menu has changed drastically since I went there last year, I would say go ahead and try it as long as you know your best choices are probably pasta minus cheese and/or salad minus egg/meat/cheese without any of their desserts. Of course, their menu is probably online and more updated than I am, so you might want to check their website as well.
I have been there 3 times in the last decade (since being vegan). One time I had some kind of Thai Peanut noodles, but that one was eons ago. The last couple times were under a year and a half ago. Once my waiter was a moron and was SO unhelpful that I ended up ordering a sundae dish of plain strawberries (it's on their dessert menu. You just ask for it without the whipped cream + you have to be willing to shell out $6 for a few strawberries) and a soda. The most recent time my waitress just happened to be a vegetarian with a vegan roommatte, so she was super awesome. She went between me and the kitchen a million times relaying info. She said the pasta had egg (don't know if that was just my location, but ask), and there were some other problems. I finally ended up giving up and telling her, "You seem SO conscientious about this. I'm putting my trust in you. Bring me anything vegan you can think of." Which I have never done, before or since. Oy, the meal she brought was FABULOUS! She'd invented it out of sides. I had a make-my-own-lettuce-wraps plate with mushrooms and lots of other ingredients and dipping sauces. Even a side of some crispy rice noodles with coconut milk. She definitely earned that big tip!
It's a little hard to decipher from their menu what is safe and what isn't but on my website I have an e-mail response from them I got on 8/15/08. They do have a lot of choices and I would like to see vegetarian and vegan choices marked with a symbol in the future.
Thank you for the menu options. The lettuce wraps (minus the chicken) sound delicious.
Veganeatingout, that was a helpful link you provided with menu info for other chain restaurants as well.
I just got back from dinner ... the Thai lettuce wraps were fantastic. I enjoyed a lovely plate with seasoned cucumbers, carrot threads, bean sprouts, red cabbage wedges among other things and flavorful dipping sauces to create your own lettuce wraps. The food server kindly replaced the chicken with tender asparagus spears.
Thank you for the recommendation.