Yoko Cheesecake

Bakery: Yoko Cheesecake 
Address: 1455 Rue Peel, Montreal QC 
Website: n/a
Style: Japanese 
Price: $$

For those tired of the over-commercialization of Uncle Tetsu's in Toronto or are looking for something sweet and Japanese in Montreal, there is this calmer, more mellow Japanese bakery underground in the Cours Mont Royal, right by the Peel metro stop. Of course, it looks like it can get busy, but when I was there, it was well, empty.

Yoko Cheesecake, however, does not just have cheesecake. They do have very few items for sale, but they go beyond cheesecake, likewise selling giant cheese tarts ($16.50), "raindrop" cakes (a sort of jelly dome; $3.49), and a selection of cold drinks. Of course I wanted to try the cheesecake ($10); how could I not?

Available in either regular or matcha green tea, both are the same price and the same size. Packed in a cardboard box and tied with string, opening it up, you're greeted with a fairly petite cake stamped with the store's logo. My first glance told me immediately that the cake was without a doubt less green than the promo photos and display cake. Actually, it was pretty pale green and, accordingly, the taste definitely lacked any matcha flavour, which was a bit disappointing. Texture-wise, it was by far the most dense Japanese cheesecake I've tried. I mean, that's a good sign, because it means there's more cheese in it, but at the same time, it wasn't as fluffy. Still, once getting past the fact that I couldn't detect that much matcha, I did enjoy it. Good, but it couldn't beat my mom's fantastic matcha Japanese cheesecake. :P

Rating: ***