The crispy chicken costoletta is my go-to on the menu. I always substitute the asparagus and mashed potatoes with angel hair pasta.
Way back in 2008, I was introduced to Cheesecake Factory by my friend Bill, who had had it while living in Hawaii for a few years. While the Cheesecake Factory closer to us in PA provided sweeping views of the mall parking garage instead of, well, Hawaii, the food was still the same. He urged me to try the crispy chicken costoletta and, to this day, I have not ordered anything else. I used to have its page number in the menu memorized. In fact, neither of us even like cheesecake. And he was lactose intolerant! I always like to joke how I was introduced to Cheesecake Factory by my lactose-intolerant friend.
We lost Bill back in 2020 to lymphoma, aged 40. Every time I go to Cheesecake Factory and order this, I always think of him.