No Menu Needed...

The Professional knows that she is a creature of habit. She likes things the way she likes them, and sees no reason to deviate from the program as established. The same is true when she dines out. Though a menu may be expansive, when The Professional finds a dish she likes--she sticks with it. Faithfully. Without fail. In fact, she'll pay you $20 if you can ever catch her ordering something other than the following at these three go-to, nationwide restaurants. She suggests that you try these items out. After all, they're so delicious that her love affair with these choices cannot be shaken :-)

The Cheesecake Factory: Thank the good baby Jesus for The Cheesecake Factory. Its drink menu is so full of fun and tasty items. Its dessert selection is heavenly. And that brown bread loaf? Absolutely delightful.

• Appetizer: Avacado Eggrolls -- So daggone flavorful, delicious...and addictive!

• Entree: Spicy Cashew Chicken -- Tender chicken & crunchy cashews over a bed of fluffy white rice.

• Dessert: White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake -- The Professional's local Ralph's supermarket used to sell slices of this amazing & heavenly dessert in its bakery department. When they stopped, The Professional had a grade-A meltdown right there in the market. It was sad.
  

Sidebar: The Professional actually has a dinner item stand-in for those times when her sensitive tummy can't take the super spicy Cashew Chicken. In a crunch, she'll also order the Chicken Littles. As a connoisseur of chicken strips, she is a fan of this dish at the Cheesecake Factory, and applauds the yummy honey mustard sauce that accompanies.


PF Chang's: The Professional doesn't like authentic-authentic Chinese food. She likes Americanized, franchised Chinese food--and PF Chang's is among her favorite places to dine.

• Appetizer: Chicken Lettuce Wraps -- The lettuce is always so cool & crisp...and The Professional loves to have the waiter/waitress make the sauce extra spicy.

• Entree: Mongolian Beef with White Rice -- The Professional makes certain to order her dish prepared "extra crispy," meaning that the beef pieces will come out well-done and with a slight char. Perfect!

• Dessert: Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce -- This Raspberry sauce is simply sinful! The Professional could bottle it up and drink it like Sprite...

California Pizza Kitchen: Ahh yes...The Professional has blogged before about her love-affair with this restaurant. It is her comfort food. It is her solace. She patronizes often, and is never let down by these choices...

• Appetizer: Chicken Chowder Soup -- A cup of this warm, creamy and delicious soup is the perfect way to set the mood for her all-time favorite salad-entree.

• Entree: BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad -- The Professional orders this item tossed, no avocado (why do people try to put avocado on everything?!), and with extra dressing & ranch on the side (they never use enough). This salad is enough to change the directional pull of The Professional's entire mood. This salad is the salad of all salads. It is the cat's meow. If you have some bad news to deliver to The Professional, bring this salad (prepared as noted above), and you are guaranteed a less-harsh tongue-lashing from her. You might even be forgiven of your transgressions. Yes, this salad is that serious. End of story.

• Dessert: Key Lime Pie -- Now, a good key lime pie is hard to come by. A good one in a chain restaurant is almost not possible, but The Professional gives two thumbs up to the version served at CPK. She's not mad at it at all ;-)

Sidebar: Unfortunately, The Professional was advised yesterday that CPK no longer carries the divine Chicken Chowder soup. She believes that the decision to take this off the menu (she doesn't know if its removal is chain-wide, or just at her store) is grave and ill-advised. However, she still has warm memories of this soup, and will now be forced to vehemently deny the other soup choices. Sorry guys, the chicken tortilla soup just isn't the same as the chowder :-(


What are the go-to menu items at your favorite eateries? Though The Professional is unlikely to try them (see above, she's covered), she's tickled when others are inspired enough to show their loyalty. Bon appetite!!