In Cheesecake We Trust

Where does cheesecake come from? Some say the history of this sweet treat began in Greece (another type of ambrosia for the gods and goddesses?), but the less romantic thinkers among us say it all started in the kitchen of Junior’s Deli in New York City. Whatever the origins of cheesecake, the search goes on for the perfect piece.

A smooth and creamy confection that should be mildly sweet with a hint of tartness, sinfully rich cheesecake is a concoction that usually relies on ample portions of cream cheese, vanilla, eggs, sugar and heavy cream. While there are many variations, such as the Ann Arbor style that makes use of a graham cracker piecrust, the classic version needs at most a sprinkling of strawberries or blueberries.

Compared to other, fancier dessert items featured at hotel lounges (such as tiramisu or any flambé dish), cheesecake is more of your garden-variety pie that you can find in supermarkets, bakeries and neighborhood cafés. Nevertheless, a truly great cheesecake can hold its own with its more regal brethren on the dessert cart.

Here is a look at those cheesecakes that make the cut in Jakarta, and are worth going out of your way to sample:

Cheese Cake Factory

(Tebet, South Jakarta)

No, the Cheesecake Factory Restaurant based in Beverly Hills has not opened a franchise in Jakarta. That, however, does not mean you can’t enjoy a good cheesecake at the Cheese Cake Factory in Tebet.

Served in various flavors (blueberry, strawberry, original, triple chocolate, etc.) the cheesecake here comes without a crust and is served in small, round shapes (personal size). The only drawback is that while the texture is smooth enough to pass the delectability test, the taste is sweeter than desired and the cream topping has a very strong egg flavor.

If you’re looking to dine out in comfort, the Cheese Cake Factory may feel a bit cramped. The service, however, is excellent and what satisfaction we can’t find in the main course menu, we find in the cheesecake.

Price range per slice: Rp 12,000 – 15,000

Miki Ojisan No Mise

(Taman Anggrek, Pondok Indah Mal, Plaza Senayan)

A bakery as well as a café, Miki Ojisan No Mise is based in Japan and is said to have pioneered the Original Japanese Cheesecake. What makes Japanese cheesecake different from other cheesecakes? The Japanese variety is lower in fat, and instead of relying on cream cheese and vanilla, it uses cornstarch and eggs.

The result is a tasty cheesecake that feels as light as a cupcake. The sugar is kept to a bare minimum, while the soft texture resembles a flan with a bit of crust on the bottom.

Ojisan’s cheesecake comes in a variety of flavors, including blueberry, strawberry, mocha, peach, chocolate, coffee and original New York-style. Though the recipe is specifically designed for a healthier dessert choice, the cheesecake here still melts in your mouth and leaves your taste buds hungry for more.

For hard-core cheesecake lovers, Ojisan’s New York-style recipe lacks the most important ingredient for any cheesecake worth its calories: cream cheese. But for those counting calories (and eating cheesecake!?), Miki Ojisan No Mise is the place to go.

Price range per slice: Rp 18,000 – 20,000

Secret Recipe

(Plaza Indonesia, Mal Kelapa Gading)

A Malaysia-based restaurant that has spread to Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, China and Indonesia, Secret Recipe has won numerous awards in menu design and product excellence. Atop their dessert menu is cheesecake, which comes in almost a dozen flavors, including New York-original.

The first thing that strikes you in tasting Secret Recipe’s line of cheesecakes is the crunchy crust and crumbly texture.

To set its cheesecake apart, Secret Recipe has adopted an Italian recipe that called for ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese.

Although the restaurant serves up many different types of cheesecake (classic, blueberry, strawberry, chocolate, etc.), the most intriguing ones are the Oreo, espresso, yogurt, hi-fiber and caramel.

If you’re in the mood to experiment, I suggest ordering an espresso cheesecake. That or yogurt. Live a little.

Price range per slice: Rp.18,000 – 20,000

+Maggie Tiojakin

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