Grand Lux is owned by The Cheesecake Factory, and as such, the differences between the two restaurants are nearly imperceptable. The dishes and the ingedients used in their preparation are virtually identical. In fact, I'd wager that if you blindfolded and sat me down with a plate of food at either one, I wouldn't be able to tell you where I was. If I succeeded in doing so, it would be out of sheer luck. Perhaps the ambience is a tad better at Grand Lux and the crowd therefore a wee bit more refined. But both restaurants have enormous menus loaded with calorie-rich offerings. Just like at The Cheesecake Factory, the staff genuinely tries its best to be helpful and quick, and all of the servers are professional in their appearance. The biggest difference is that Grand Lux features a list of bake-to-order desserts, whereas its sister restaurant has a dizzying multitude of, well, cheesecakes. The bake-to-order list includes homemade cookies and cupcakes as well as a dynamite molten chocolate cake. Just remember to order dessert at the same time you order dinner; they ask for head-start of at least 30 minutes for the process.

- Written by Alex Grayson
February 1, 2011