I just got back from Rock Sugar, Cheesecake Factory's newest restaurant concept, surrounding a menu of pan Asian cuisine. First of all, the design of the restaurant is awesome. You enter through two big wooden doors into a welcome area. On the wall is some kind of writing, meaning still unknown after questioning one of the restaurant architects. Next is the courtyard with no ceiling and rock fireplaces between each seating area. The interior is very Asian, tending toward Thai decoration with a mix of retro and zen.

While all marketing indicates pan-Asian cuisine, I found the majority of menu items are Thai. I would have appreciated more diverse selections. We ordered Pork Vindaloo, with pineapple and red Thai chili sauce; Claypot Beef, cooked with sugar snap peas, onions red Thai chili and chayote; Princess Chicken, a variation on orange chicken; Shrimp Thai Noodles, pad Thai; calamari; and lacquered short ribs. Menu items are serve true family style, a style of which I was originally not a fan. When it is actually practiced, it is a very nice concept. All menu items are brought to the table upon completion, directly from the kitchen for optimum savorability. With respect to the food, I noticed mostly a Thai influence, with a little bite to each dish, which I found pleasant and not overwhelming. I was also concerned that the entrees were to small, but by the time we left, I was perfectly sated.

My only true complaint was the seating. We were seated at a table for four which was bordered by a glass wall that looks out on to the patio. Directly on the opposite side of the glass was another table which was empty upon our seating. Towards the end of our meal a couple was seated on the other side of the glass. I did not like that at all, reminding me of banquette seating.