For every unabashedly guilty pleasure found at dine-inrestaurant chains, there are menu items that are surprisingly legit.
For everyBloomin' Onionanddeep-dish pizza, there are real-dish dishes so good that even chefs crave them.
Chefs, after all, and for all their culinary prowess, are not a pretentious bunch.
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ChefMike Futia’sgo-to pick at The Cheesecake Factory is the furthest thing from cheesecake: hibachi steak.
“The steak is tender and full of flavor,” proclaims the founder and editor-in-chief ofGrill Frenzy.
“It’s cooked just right.
The Cheesecake Factory
The mushrooms, onions, and asparagus that come with it add a nice contrast.
They’re fresh and well-prepared.”
“This dish is more than just a meal.
Chili’s
It’s also a place where it’s perfectly suitable to select a bulky burger as your dinner entree.
That’s the M.O.
forAdam Polisei, executive chef ofUnion New Americanrestaurant in Tampa, Fla.
Cracker Barrel
In particular, he opts for the Big Mouth Bites.
But for every ill-conceived plant-based breakfast sausage, there are some menu treasures to be mined as well.
The trick for him is to keep the order simple and classic.
IHOP
“I can eat breakfast all day,” he explains.
Good at any time of the day.”
Indeed, it’s another favorite for breakfast-loving Gonzalez, but not for theentreeyou’d assume.
Macaroni Grill / Facebook
In lieu of pancakes, he prefers the savory fare.
“I stick to the omelets, which are pretty good and large.
I like starting the day with a big breakfast.”
Olive Garden
Kyle Jones, head chef atCraft Wood Fired Cateringin Santa Barbara, is another IHOP champion.
“Their pancakes and waffles are especially delicious, always light and fluffy,” he says.
The chef-owner ofFattoria e Marein Half Moon Bay, Calif., likes to make the salad into hisentree.
Texas Roadhouse
While there, it’s not uncommon for Estrada to order seconds.
That’s largely thanks to his beloved chicken marsala.
“I love the mushroom sauce in this dish,” he says.
Maggiano’s Little Italy/Facebook
“It’s full of rich meaty flavor and is a great complement to the Spaghetti Aglio Olio.”
