Life is short, and unless absolutely necessary, one of the rules I enjoy following while traveling for work is “no chain food meals”. I’d much rather eat at a local restaurant or have cuisine specific to the location. This week, however, we indulged in dinner from The Cheesecake Factory.
Flight catering dropped the ball on us last week. We flew a 4-hour cross country flight without passenger catering, nor crew meals. You may not think this is a big deal, but our flights don’t operate from an airport terminal with easily accessible food options. Instead, we operate out of an FBO, or Fixed Based Operator, and food is brought in for each flight.
Customer meals are pre-ordered and prepared by a local caterer, then delivered to the FBO prior to the flight. Aircrew meals are also delivered with passenger catering and is a wonderful benefit to have. While it is a perk, sometimes it doesn’t come through and we’re left scrounging through our flight bag for a granola bar we squirreled away for such an emergency. I send a quick message to our operations department before take off; “passenger and crew meals were not delivered for today’s flight”.
I receive a surprise email from catering halfway through the flight, “We’re sorry your meal didn’t arrive. We’ve ordered DoorDash for your arrival”. Food delivery has been a life saver on many trips. There is nothing worse than a hangry pilot. Thankfully we are greeted with two crew meals from The Cheesecake Factory after landing. I know, a chain food restaurant, but have you had a piece of their cheesecake lately? It’s legit. Dinner that night was a Cobb Salad accompanied by a fantastic looking piece of Cheesecake topped with a strawberry. Let’s just say, the cheesecake disappeared before the salad. We all have priorities in life and I ate the Cheesecake first.
Unfortunately, every time I see cheesecake now, my heart recalls the joy of the last piece eaten. Each time I do, it ends up broken by the reality of a small frozen piece of dessert masquerading by the name of cheesecake. I needed my fix, and this time, I’m bringing a partner in crime.
My wife and I ventured out to the local Cheesecake Factory for date night my first day home. After confessing my recent soirée with dessert, she and I both had an appetite for some real Cheesecake. This time however, I did eat dinner first.
I chose a delicious dish called Thai Coconut Lime Chicken and it did not disappoint. The green curry dish had a dash of spicy mixed in with an undertone of coconut and pineapple sweetness. Thinly sliced, seared mushrooms and peanut glaze mixed with tender cuts of chicken were served on a bed of rice.
There have been too many times in life that I’ve let my eyes overload my stomach and I keep eating until I’m left too full for dessert. This meal is delicious and I am tempted to finish my plate, but I do not lose sight of the real reason for our visit. Mustering some discipline, I push the plate away.
To our delight two delicious pieces of cheesecake quickly arrived. I chose a traditional slice of cheesecake topped with fresh berries, while my wife chose a Mango Key Lime variety. A light and fluffy dollop of fresh whipped cream sat atop each slice like a crown adorning royalty.
I wish I could say that I savored each and every morsel but lastly, I may have eaten it at a rather fast pace. I remember murmuring a delightful “mmmmm” once or twice before I realized I had finished it all. It was good while it lasted.
The good news is, we can always come back for more on our next date night. I’m already looking forward to eating the cheesecake first.
