Grand Lux Café

Price: Pricey
Atmosphere: 4 out of 5
Quality of Service: 4 out of 5
Food Overall: 5 out of 5

When this place originally opened, there were many who figured that it was just another ‘Cheesecake Factory’. After all, it is owned by the same company, and the décor has a very similar vibe going on in both restaurants. Even the wait staff dresses the same.

But thankfully, that’s where the similarities end. Now don’t get me wrong: I truly enjoy the Cheesecake Factory, and I think they have some wonderful dishes and out of this world desserts. That being said, I prefer an eatery of its own name to be its own place, no matter who owns what or what it may or may not be a spin off of.

Grand Lux is one of my favorite local joints, even if it is a chain. I try to enjoy the more obscure restaurants, especially because there’s such an exhilarating rush for me to get back to my computer and share my experience with all of you.

But sometimes a chain is awesomely excellent, regardless to the number of buildings it’s linked to. Grand Lux serves up some of the finest, tastiest food I’ve had from any restaurant. The cool thing here is this, kids: They do everything (much like their ‘sister’ company), such as pasta, pot pies, and pork roasts.

From their Sunday spaghetti to their shaking Mongolian beef, it’s all full flavored, rich, smooth and creamy right where it needs to be. It would take me all day to write about this restaurant, so rather than have you drooling all over your keyboard for the next hour, I’ll just cover the three ‘must haves’ that I think are, well, must haves here.

(1)  Rib Eye – This is, hands down, the best rib eye I’ve ever had. Ever. The first time I ordered it was just orgasmic (you always remember your first). Picture it: The waiter places this hefty plate in front of me and my eyes begin to sing a symphony that my taste buds dance the Lambada to.

It’s about a 12oz. rib eye, cooked to a nice medium rare. Next to it is a nice cup of garlic shoestring French fries, and atop my cow slab is a little yellow ball. Upon further examination, I discover that it is a melting chunk of garlic butter. The steak is just seasoned with this, salt and pepper.

I allow it to melt completely, and cut off my first bite. Do you remember that very first time on Christmas morning where you went running downstairs to see the tree all aglow with gifts upon gifts stacked beneath, knowing that 90% of them were from you, and Santa himself delivered them personally?

That’s just bite#1. This steak is money (I accidentally typed ‘this steak is monet and corrected it, but why? It’s like edible artwork ). This is my dinner recommendation for sure. However, if you’re more of a brunch person…

(2)  Sunday, 11:00am-2:00pm is where you want to focus for my next dish: Chicken & Waffles. Now, in Las Vegas, this dish is served 24/7. However, in my neck of the woods, I have to wait for the above mentioned timeframe to indulge my senses.

This item is just like it sounds: A light, fluffy Belgian waffle, with that perfect crunch to the outside, dusted with powdered sugar. The chicken, about 5-6 fat, juicy tenders, is dipped in the waffle batter and fried to a nice golden brown. The waffle batter gives it a unique sweetness.

The chicken is then piled on top of the waffle like a foodie car wreck. The whole thing arrives with a side cart of pecan-honey butter and warm maple syrup. Dump both gravy boats on top of the entire dish and take your tongue to a land I like to call ‘Holycrapthatsfantastic-place’.

(3)  Finally, if you want dessert, you’ll need to order it before your meal. That’s because they bake it fresh while your lunch/dinner is being prepared. The key is to order a dessert worth waiting for.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: The Beignets. These are fried balls of hollow dough, so airy and delicious you’ll want to bring your momma to slap her. Covered in powdered sugar, these fritters are just what the sugar shack of your brain ordered.

But wait, there’s more! If you order now (meaning ahead of your meal), you’ll also receive three carts of dipping sauces, including the richly dense chocolate ganache, the tart and tangy raspberry coulee, and last but certainly not least, the Jack Daniels cream sauce, with that meld of vanilla and whiskey that makes you want to bathe in it.

So there you have it. I’ve given you your selection. I’ve provided my opinions, in detail et ad nauseam. It’s no more expensive than the Cheesecake Factory, but that can get pricey depending on your tastes. Regardless, you need to try it out if you haven’t already.

After all, it’s just Da(m)n GREAT Food.