Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake

Preemptive Note: Don’t judge this piece of cheesecake solely by the picture above…
Furthermore: In fact, go here to Olive Garden’s website and check out their promotional photo for yourself before you even continue reading – it’s ok, we’ll wait!
Validation: See what I’m talking about?!
The Story: I actually picked up this slice of cheesecake last night after seeing a similarly persuasive photo in the restaurant, however a to-go box was in order because they don’t seem to believe in the concept of “portions” at Olive Garden.  Sadly as you might assume from the above photo, this delicious-looking dessert didn’t exactly travel well between the car and the refrigerator the following day.
Looks Aside: While not the best piece of pumpkin cheesecake I’ve ever had, it was still enjoyable and whatever remained of the caramel sauce and cookie crumbles added a nice bit of flavor and texture to each bite.
Verdict: Appearances aren’t everything – let the flavors speak for themselves.  Just for God’s sake, go easy on dinner so that you’ve got enough room for dessert!