Shopper's Delight - CT goes International!

Venue: Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai

As part of the Cheesecake Tuesday Tet Special Event, this taster went international, sampling cheesecake in the hustle and bustle of that shopper's heaven, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai. Spoiled for choice on places to sit, relax and 'sugar up' it was decided to find out if there is consistency across the board and went for the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's Oreo Cookie Cheesecake. The Leaf enjoyed great success here in Saigon, but would its Arabian counter part be able to match it?

The cheesecake looked the part. A satisfying layer of Oreo biscuit covered it and its base was thick enough to be substantial but not so thick it distracted from the cake itself. The creamy yet firm looking base promised a 'cheesy yet cakey' experience and this taster was keen to get onto the serious business of the taste test itself.

Alas, disappointment. Whilst many a cheesecake fan would be delighted with its creamy texture and subtle flavours, it was just a tad too creamy for this CTers palette. The base and outer provided a satisfying counter point to the cake itself, with the bitterness of the chocolate biscuit complementing the sweetness of the cheesecake. Whilst the taste was divine, the constistency failed to make a hit with me and in rare event led to a portion of the cheesecake being discarded.

Consistency:  Far too creamy to find a fan in this taster but might appeal to those who prefer softer cake.

Base: A pleasing bitter counterpoint to the cake itself. A perfect chocolate hit.

Presentation: As always with the Bean, it was less is more. Presented on a CBTL plate with no adornments, it looked like it meant business.

Taste: A delight. Consistency aside its flavour was subtle and pleasing.

Verdict:  Be seen at the Bean. 7/10

Tet Temptations

                                 

Date: 15/02/10 
Venue: Sailing Club

Tran Phu, Nha Trang

Due to the Tet festivities CT members found themselves disbanded and somewhat international this week.  Members should be updating on cheesecake from around the world shortly but first we'll begin with something closer to home.

Despite spending a week lounging luxuriously on a beach, one member took time out to see if the cheesecake of Nha Trang could live up to Saigon's high standards.  With this in mind there was really only one place to go - The Sailing Club.

As the founding location of the Sailing Club chain, Nha Trang offers everything that the Sailing Club has become renowned for: exquisite dining overlooking pure white shores and sapphire seas - but is the cheesecake up to par?

With only one cheesecake on the menu the decision was taken from my hands - White Chocolate Cheesecake it is.

Consistency:  Thick and smooth, the spoon slid through the cheese like a hot knife through butter.  Absolutely divine.

Base:  A traditional buttery digestive base.

Presentation:  Carefully prepared with an attractive passion fruit sauce and topped with succulent strawberries.

Taste: The Sailing Club has certainly hit the mark with this cake.  Real white Belgian chocolate, and lots of it, is used to ensure that this cake really does taste of white chocolate, leaving the taste of the cheese barely discernible.  The sharp tang of the passion fruit compliments the rich, sweet taste of the chocolate.  All was going well but one slice really is too much, leaving a CT member feeling rather sick for some time afterwards. 

Verdict:  This is definitely one to share!
A sickly sweet 7/10

The Hidden Gem.

Date: 09/02/10

Venue: Centro Cafe
           11-13 Lam Son Square, D.1

After last week's Java debacle, it was with some trepidation that CT headed off this week but, nonetheless, head off we did to the lesser known Centro Cafe. 

Nestled in a small courtyard next to Saigon's Caravelle hotel,  this secluded coffee shop is very easily missed - even by the most discerning cheesecake connoisseur as evidenced by the fact that none of the visiting CT testers had previously visited the establishment.

Battling through busy streets all buzzing with throngs of Honda Waves bustling for an early view of the brightly-coloured, illuminated Tet decorations on Nguyen Hue, Le Loi and Dong Khoi provided an extra challenge in the pursuit of cheesecake but finally the CT team all gathered in the tranquil atmosphere that Centro cafe promotes.  The cafe itself was empty, with shop assisants vastly outnumbering customers as is usual in Vietnam; another fact that instilled a niggling sense of foreboding in CT members - after so many recent successes were we about to encounter a devastating loss?

The chilled dessert counter boasted a number of delicious looking delicacies with 3 cheesecakes on the menu, however the depleted numbers of testers (work meetings and family sickness taking precedence over cheesecake for some members this week) means that only one variety of cheesecake was tested, the invitingly named 'Creamy Cookie Cheesecake'.  So how did it fare?

Consistency: Divinely light and creamy with a soft crumbly texture.  This cheesecake truly melts in the mouth. The filling is interspersed with large and crunchy cookie chunks, providing a delightful contrast of textures.

Base: Wow! For once the base is as good as the filling, consisting of a thick chocolate cookie base. This base has retained a fabulous crunchy texture, making a change from the sometimes soggy biscuit layer of other cheesecakes.

Presentation:  This cake has a gorgeous golden brown baked crust on top giving it a homebaked, rather than mass produced look.  Homely and comforting.

Taste: Zesty but not overpowering.  Definitely lives up to the name 'Creamy Cookies' and left all testers wanting more, rather than being too sickly or heavy.  Good work, Centro!

Verdict: Please, Sir, can I have some more?

An unexpected 9/10.

Will Gloria be Victorious?

Date: 02/02/10

Venue: Gloria Jean's Coffee
             Dong Khoi, Q.1

CT members were faced with their first cheesecake crisis this week.  Upon entering the chosen desination of the week, 'Java' - home of the divine chocolate kahlua cheesecake - we were shocked to discover that the chilled counter which used to home such a vast collection of chocolatey goodness has disappeared, to be replaced by a meagre dessert specials list.  Oh, how quickly good things come to pass in our fragile world - shame on you, Java!  After what can only be described as a hissy-fit: "No, I do not want a brownie, it is not 'Brownie Tuesday'..." and after a few panic-stricken phone calls to spread the word, we quickly relocated to nearby Gloria Jean's in the hope that the popular US franchise could save the day.

Although Gloria Jean's originally hails from the USA, it established its popularity in Australia before opening branches across Asia.  As with other coffee shops, Gloria Jean's is a common sight around both Hanoi and Saigon with branches in prominent positions such as Dong Khoi and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai to name but a few.  So, after the recent successes of rival chains, Highlands and Coffee Bean - will Gloria be victorious?

In a recent tradition of expanding our tasting selection (as well as our waistlines, no doubt) CT tried three cheesecakes:

Chocolate (C)        
White Chocolate (WC)
Swiss Cheesecake (S)

So, without further ado...

Consistency: Both the white chocolate and the chocolate had a nice firm consistency, holding together nicely throughout.  The cake remained moist despite having been sat in a cabinet all day.  The Swiss cake appeared to fit the description of mousse rather than cheesecake and members found it rather too light and airy, leading to our first ungraded cake as it was felt that it did not fulfil the criteria of a cheesecake and would be more appropriately marketed as a 'Lemon Cake'.

Base: Interestingly GJ has opted for a sponge base for their cheesecakes with both the Swiss and White Chocolate varieties sporting a plain sponge and the chocolate a chocolate base.  The base of the White Choc cake is as thick as the cheesecake layer, CT would have liked more cheese and less cake.  CT members generally felt that a crunchy base is integral to a cheesecake and felt that the sponge was a let down.

Presentation: The cakes look good, it has to be said.  The Swiss variety comes in a small cylindrical shape and is covered in white chocolate shavings - but do not be fooled by a good package!  Both chocolate varieties have a contrasting chocolate decoration, a small but effective measure.

Taste: The White Chocolate has a sweet and pleasant taste but does not necessarily taste of white chocolate, whereas the chocolate cheesecake delivers a pure hit of cocoa strong enough to satisfy any chocoholic and fares very well for being our first completely chocolatey, chocolate cheesecake.  (That last sentence has got to be given credit for mentioning the word 'chocolate' so many times!). Unfortunately for the Swiss cheesecake it was decided that the lemon filling is too overpowering and the cheesecake not up to CT's exceptionally high cheesecake standards.

Verdict: No longer fitting in our jeans.   

White Chocolate: a spongy 6/10
Chocolate: a calorific 8/10
Swiss: doesn't make the grade.