I passionately believe that The Cheesecake Factory at Harbour City is one of Hong Kong’s most consistent restaurants.
With 157 items on the à-la-carte menu and 35 cheesecakes and desserts, it might seem like this restaurant would not be able to master the quality of each dish. But think again. Every meal I have had at the Factory since I first visited in 2023 has been strong and reliable.
The food at this branch of The Cheesecake Factory – the second location in Asia, opening in spring 2017 – is brashly American in both taste and serving size. Expect family-style sharing plates at high prices, but justified with their no-frills recipes, mega portions, and spot-on flavours.
Typically, a restaurant with a menu consisting of this many cuisines – American, Mexican, British, Chinese, Thai, Korean, and more – you would assume the worst, but that’s not the case not here.
Sat in a slim two-person booth, I started off in Southeast Asia, albeit dining inside a time portal of the USA within The Cheesecake Factory’s glamorous interior design. The mega Thai lettuce wraps (HKD162) appetiser graced my table first.
Featuring bright leafy greens with an assortment of pickled and salty sauces, the aim is to wrap the lightly spiced chicken tenders with gem lettuce and julienned vegetables. Dunk this into the coriander or peanut sauces and you get a fresh and healthy bite, mixed with a hit of salt and spice.
The avocado tacos (HKD152) is a good starter to share any time you visit the Factory. They use jet-fresh avocados, wrap them in a thin batter, and drench them in a tangy tomatillo sauce. Fret not as the taco wrappers themselves are thin jicama slices, ensuring you get a healthy kick and avoid those extra carbs.
The Cheesecake Factory follows its age-old mantra of hearty portions and flavours with the petite filet (HKD452). The steak plate features a plump filet mignon steak, salted lightly and served medium raw, mashed potato, and green beans.
The steak is suitable for any meat lover, but requires a harsher sear and more seasoning to please the real steak connoisseur. I liked the mashed potato, which was buttery and fluffy. The green beans were fresh, but needed more pepper to offer secondary flavours.
Whilst I tucked into my salty starters and mains, I was chugging away through the cookie butter milkshake (HKD84), a sugary concoction perfect for an indulgent meal (but not if you want to stay awake after your visit to the restaurant). The milkshake sees ice cream, milk, and Lotus biscuits mixed into a brain-tingling drink fitting for any sweet tooth.
Even after sampling three plates of food and drinking half a creamy milkshake, the colourful mango key lime cheesecake (HKD86) was beckoning my mouth and fork. Glistening under the light of my small table, the cheesecake holds a strong mango flavour with a desiccated coconut and biscuit base. It is a nice deviation from the original cheesecake flavour with its smack of tangy citrus without overwhelming the palate.
Our verdict of The Cheesecake Factory
Big portions and American flavours – what’s not to love about The Cheesecake Factory? With the small sampling of American restaurant chains and truly authentic American-style restaurants in Hong Kong, it is a no-brainer to visit the Factory the next time you’re looking for a dining experience similar to those that our friends in the States take for granted.
The Cheesecake Factory, Shop G102, G/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 25 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2791 6628
| Order this: Thai lettuce wraps, petite filet, mango key lime cheesecake Menu: The Cheesecake Factory à-la-carte menu Price for two: HKD400–600 | Atmosphere: warm and very American, similar to the brand’s US locations Perfect for: big family meals, escapes to the tasty side of Americana, and devouring some top cheesecake |
This review is intended to offer an individual perspective on the dining experience and should not be considered as a definitive judgement of the restaurant’s overall quality or reputation. The views expressed in this review are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions of Foodie.
