Easy option if you're looking for a light and airy dessert for yourself or to share - portion is great for a small family to share (i.e. birthday or tea) but too small to bring to a friend gathering (would need to bring at least two). The good: - Delicious, fluffy and light Japanese cheesecake. I recommend the original - it's been the best flavor of the ones I've tried - though I have also enjoyed Strawberry and Pandan (esp the hot pink and green colors). For some reason I didn't love the ube (purple). I still have the basque cheesecake on my to try list. - Price is reasonable at $14, though they have gone up - I remember them being $12 last year. - There hasn't been a long line/wait the last few times I've been here. It's easy enough to park and go up the escalator and grab this (located in the food court). - There are now samples you can try (next to the register)! - The box and bag that you get makes this look classy. Caveat: - Portions are fairly small - if you're looking for something for a larger group, going with an actual cake, cupcakes or pies would make more sense read more

Uncle Tetsu - Free samples - so you can choose which flavor to purchase! - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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This is the first Uncle Tetsu I've seen in the United States! I've had their cakes in Taiwan, so I was very excited to see a store here in the Bay Area. My absolute favorite is the Rose & Lychee cake. I could definitely taste the perfect combination of rose and lychee flavors, and it's perfectly fluffy and delicious and not too sweet (the ultimate Asian compliment when it comes to sweets lol). I hope they keep the Rose&Lychee cake! read more

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Always remains as one the BEST REASONS to visit Hillsdale mall. It is Especially nice to visit in their food court location near where the newly remodeled large outdoor court is located....such a great design by this mall--just wish that this outdoor court was bigger! Uncle Tetsu continues to create really fantastic Japanese style cheesecakes, which are lighter, fluffier and less sweet than traditional cheesecakes. They also are running a promo this 2023 holiday season: $22 for a full-size cheesecake, mini tart (my favorites) AND a sweet tea! This is a great deal. My daughter enjoyed their Jasmine Green Tea drink (see pic)--these are like the modern Chinese/Taiwanese style teas. My favorites are the Basque style cheesecake, ube, and chocolate flavors. But I really like their mini tarts as they have a thin pie-crust on the edge and have a slight liquidity consistency in the middle. My favorite tarts are the ube and regular. Come enjoy these Japanese style cheesecakes--they are a treat and great gifts for family visiting. read more

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I love these cheesecakes, their rotating flavors, specialty drinks and those little Burnt Basque Cakes. The online ordering system is very efficient to save time by picking up. They've always had my cakes ready on time. I have not tasted anything here that is anything short of excellent! I am not a fan of very sweet desserts. These have the perfect hint of sweetness and the cakes are light and fluffy like a sponge cake. My mother will have nothing other than Uncle Tetsu cakes for her birthday. She likes the simple tastes that don't weigh you down as I. If you're looking to sample the flavors, the little Burnt Basque Cakes are perfect little cheesecake mini's. They have seasonal flavors also. So the selections are never stale. As for beverages, I have only had the matcha with cheese foam. It looked interesting, and I really enjoyed it. Sweetness levels can be adjusted when ordering. I have more to try. Enjoy a tasty beverage on the go or while you wait for them to get your order together. Love, love Uncle Tetsu and is my "go-to" spot when bringing desserts anywhere. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Love the minis! - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I know nothing about Japanese cheesecake. I wanted one bc they looked so pretty. They looked like Angel's food cake to me. I would of never guessed cheesecake. I was hoping they sold it by the slice like a traditional bakery would, but they don't. You have to purchase the entire thing hoping that you will like it. I decided to get the Oreo flavor. There was cheesecake biscotti at the register so I grabbed a variety pack of those too. Both totaled less that $20. I tasted the biscotti immediately and saved the cheesecake for home. Biscotti was delicious!!! Light and crispy. The cheesecake was good. It was fluffy, dense, spongy, and not too sweet. Different texture from what I'm used too. I will definitely eat this with a side of iced coffee. read more

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I passed my real estate exam and my friend stopped by with the basque burnt cheesecake from uncle tetsu. I've been wanting to try, but always get lazy last minute. The basic cheesecake isn't my favorite (reminds me more of a steamed bun/bread from a Japanese bakery) BUT the basque version - I actually finished this one mostly by myself. No regrets!! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Basque cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Got the orignal cheesecake for $16 and the cheesecake tarts for $18! The original cheesecake was heavenly! The texture is super soft to chew on and moist as well. It's cute and innovative that they have their mascot imprinted on the cheesecake. I would definitely bring this to a party or potluck. The cheesecake tarts were a must try since they had pretty colors and were displayed so well out in the open. The crust was crunchy and cooked thoroughly, so no raw dough texture! The fillings were great, moist and semi sweet. My favorite was the original and chocolate. I'm not a big fan of matcha or ube flavors, but Uncle Tetsu did those flavors well. read more

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Light, fluffy and filled with flavor, Japanese cheesecakes at uncle Tetsu's are always delicious! Today we had honey walnut and Ube cheesecakes. Definitely would recommend checking this place out! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Honey Walnut Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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It's true...these are lighter than the traditional cheesecakes and IMHO subtler and better. Went really well with the white wine and was devoured quickly. read more

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I heard about cheese tarts from my husband after he returned from a trip. I had to try it so I ordered some the week before Christmas so I couldn't brave the mall. It was delivered super quick. Ordering was easy. It came in a cute little box. The cheese tart was really good. I also got a matcha cheese tart. I normally love matcha, I personally did not like this one, but favored the original. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Uncle Tetau - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came here right as it was closing, around 8:45, but was able to snag a cake! It's located inside the Hillsdale Mall, at the dining terrace. I've heard a lot about Uncle Tetsu, but never actually tried it, so wanted to see if it was worth the hype. They had some samples out on the counter too, so it was nice to try the cake before purchasing. Once you order, they pack your cake and hand it to you immediately. Unsure of how the service is when they are super busy, but it was quick when I went! I ordered the original cake, just to keep things simple. I honestly can't complain, it was a great cake. Nice and fluffy, but also creamy in a way. Not too sweet or heavy either like other cheesecakes. I do recommend trying it out if you are in the area! read more

My wife is crazy about this, I remember struggling with the huge box and bag through the crowds and rain in Japan and being disappointed with what we ate for the effort. Years later, I wanted to give it a shot again. Instead of being dense, creamy, and slightly tangy like a cheesecake you would think of, its more like an angel food cake. It's light and airy and has almost no flavor, it reminds me of a wedding cake or cupcake without any frosting on it and minimal sugar. Still interesting and worth trying just for the uniqueness and to see if its more your taste than mine. Polar opposite is the cheese tarts, while the cheesecake is light and minimally flavored this is extremely dense and heavy tasting. It was too much for us, overpoweringly sweet and cheesy in every bite and I kept wanting to use it as "frosting" and put it on top of the plainer cheesecake. We only ate 2 of the 6 we got and gave the rest away. Packaging: overly complex. Once we opened the boxes we couldn't get them closed again. All the boxes are coated and not as biodegradable and every cheesecake is wrapped in fabric while the cheesecake themselves are not so flawless they need this level of protection. read more

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This Uncle Tetsu is located at the food court in Hillsdale Mall. I ordered the original cheesecake and four cheese tarts. The original Cheesecake was light and fluffy. The classic cheese tarts were ok. However, I was disappointed with the ube and the matcha cheese tarts. Both of them were lacked flavor. I couldn't taste any ube and the only thing that makes it a ube is the purple color. The matcha cheese tart only had a very, very light taste of matcha. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Ube, Matcha & Classic CheeseTarts - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I love getting the pandan and Oreo flavors! The texture is soft and fluffy and the pandan flavor is pretty strong. You can get a punch card and once you get 10 cakes you can get the 11th for free. There is usually no line and the service is fast. It's right next to the Panda express in the mall so it is easy to find and the shop. It's a cute little shop and you can see the display of all the options in front. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Cake Me Home Tonight Happenstance, when it comes to food, is one of my favorite things ever. Take for example our recent visit to Uncle Tetsu (UT): we were dining at the new Refuge here at the mall when after eating I decided to check my Yelp® bookmarks and saw UT show up. For months we'd seen UT all over social media with people extolling the virtues of their fluffy and delicious Japanese Cheesecake. We'd both wanted to try it but had never really wanted to go out of our way to get it--but today was the day! Carpe Cake 'em! The Good: *Surprisingly cheaper than we expected. $12 is kind of a steal, as we expected to pay at least $20 for one of their cheesecakes. *The cake is def fluffy and soft as advertised. *Not sickingly sweet. The Meh: *Flavor was just OK. Tbh I barely tasted the ube, if at all. My mind was trying to convince my taste buds it was there but my taste buds weren't buying it. If it's gonna have ube in it then make sure it slaps me in the face and says, "Here's your ube, fat boy!" The Ugly: *Mall parking. 'Nuff said... Tldr: Very not bad but def not worthy of the hype. But, with that said, I'd def like to try it again but probably a different flavor. read more

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I've never had Japanese cheesecake so it was really exciting to try this place out. I've tried the original cheesecake ($12.30) and that box of 4 tarts for $16. We came here on a Sunday right after lunch and the line wasn't that bad at all. It wasn't like the line extended past the shop. Everything is already made so all you had to do was tell them what you want and they will pack it up for you right at the counter. This isn't so jiggly and it has more of a consistency of a sponge cake, but it was still really good. I normally don't like our usual cheesecake type but the flavor is really light and it's not as sweet. It's really soft and fluffy, and it feels like it melts in your mouth. The box comes with matcha, original, ube, and chocolate flavors. They were all really good so it really depends on which flavor you like the most. Personally I like the matcha one the most, but the flavor of matcha is especially strong in this one, so you do taste that slight bitterness from the matcha. The tarts have more of a creamy, custard-like consistency in the middle than the original cheesecakes from here. I really liked everything that I've tried from here! Super glad that I got to taste this because I never really liked cheesecake in the first place. I would definitely love to eat more of these kinds of cheesecakes though. read more

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Food (5/5 stars): Our first time having Japanese cheesecake and definitely not our last! Experience (5/5 stars): * Price: pretty reasonable * Wait Time: minimal on the weekend * Service: good and friendly * Parking: there's a parking lot * Ambiance: it's in the Hillsdale food court, which is much nicer than your average food court read more

Uncle Tetsu - Original - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

If you haven't tried Japanese cheesecake, Uncle Tetsu bakes them to perfection. Their cheesecake is not too sweet and fluffy. You can watch them bake in different batches and offer different flavors such as chocolate, strawberry, and their original flavor. Among the flavors they offer, my favorite is the Ube cheesecake. Expand your international taste palate with this beloved Filipino staple! Derived from nutritious purple yam, ube is well known for its vibrant purple color and nutty, flavor profile. I can't resist the taste of this Filipino flavor and enjoyed how delicious it was made. Of course, their other flavor is also good. If you come to this place, I recommend trying their original first and then combining it with their other flavors. You will not regret enjoying this delicious cheesecake read more

Uncle Tetsu - Ube cheese cake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Got this as a souvenir to bring back to my family in NY! It was still delicious by the time we ate it. Still soft and fluffy! The packaging was adorable too. My parents loved it! read more

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Love uncle tetsu! I was so surprised to discover that these fluffy cheesecakes were also in America! When I studied abroad in Japan this was definitely a popular thing so it felt super nostalgic to have some here! The only difference is that these are not as jiggly as the ones in Japan but the flavor and airy texture is definitely there and it is TASTY! :D It's not too sweet and maybe tastes a little more eggy than cheesy. But it is so good. The airy texture is addicting in my opinion. I think it's fairly low calorie as far as desserts go so indulge away! I absolutely love the ube flavored one! If you're not familiar with ube, it's a Filipino purple yam. It's naturally vibrant in color and very sweet in flavor! It's a popular Asian dessert flavor and goes so well in these cheesecakes! They also came out with cheese tarts and have 4 flavors- original cheese cake, chocolate, matcha, and ube! These ones taste cheesier than the cheesecake lol and are very creamy and yummy. Probably higher in calories too lol. read more

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It tastes good but not great as I was expecting. All my family loved the taste and service was great.

A lot of amazing things come from simple boxes. Uncle Tetsu definitely fulfills this criteria! Uncle Tetsu creates these simple baked Japanese Cheesecakes that are simply gold in boxes. The taste is not as aggressively sweet like American Cheesecakes, but more of a light airy, custard like flavor that still is creamy & delicious! A great dessert that is simple & yet super savory. A great pickup to any hotpot, barbecue, or late night dinner edition! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Beauty in a box! - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Great place to grab some Japanese cheesecake! I've always wanted to try this place out, and since I was in the area, I decided it was time to grab some cheesecake! I got the Set B, which includes one cheesecake, one cheese tart, and a bag of biscotti. I chose the seasonal cheesecake, which was cherry blossom and it tasted delicious! The floral flavor was prominent and the cheesecake was nice and fluffy. I also chose the seasonal cheese tart, which was strawberry. The cheese tart was a little too sweet (compared to the cheesecake) but the flavor was delicious! The biscotti were ok, I think they are hardened pieces of the usual flavored cheesecake. The staff were all friendly and helpful! It's also nice that this place is in a food court as there's plenty of seating and mall parking! Overall, great place to grab some Japanese cheesecake at the Hillsdale mall! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Top: biscotti Middle: cherry blossom cheesecake (seasonal) Bottom: strawberry cheese tart (seasonal) - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

My sister allowed us to tag along for this cheesecake run. I personally have never heard of Uncle Tetsu and I am glad to have learned about them. So firstly I was surprised that the mall was even opened because I can't even remember the last time I even visited the mall. But just FYI if you feel safe and brave enough to go visit a mall, the store is located in the dining court on the right side. There was a decent line of people, of course socially distanced. But it moved quickly enough. My sister ordered a few classic cheesecakes to-go for herself , a friend, and our other sister. I, myself, ordered one classic, one Basque cheesecake, and four cheese tarts. FYI they put a limit on a number of cheese tarts you can buy which is only 4. Cheesecake in three ways. And all of them were quite uniquely tasty. The cheese tarts were savory and the most cheesiest tasting. The tart crumbly. The classic cheesecake, I think which was $11~something was light and fluffy and also subtly and delicately cheesey, closer to a spongy kind of cake consistency. The burnt bask which is more expensive like $21~ ish is closer-ish to your traditional cheesecake but also very savory and creamy and the center inside is more soft and can get liquidy and ooey gooey if you let it sit out and get warm for too long. Would definitely order again. I loved all the cheesecakes. Since it was my first time I just got their original flavors. But there were other flavors to try such as ube, strawberry, matcha, etc. read more

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I've never tried this cake in Japan, but heard a lot of people talking about it. Finally decided to try it here and it's taste pretty good to me. We ordered Oreo flavor, it is just the right amount of sweetness. The cake itself is so soft, it melts in your mouth. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Oreo cake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

The limited edition cake is so good with cherry blossom flower decoration. Cherry blossom smell is so good, it's light but special. read more

Uncle Tetsu - The limited edition cake is so good with cherry blossom flower decoration. Cherry blossom smell is so good, it's light but special. - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I was so excited to see Uncle Tetsu expand to Norcal after trying their signature Japanese cheesecakes and cheese tarts in Sydney, Australia a couple years ago. The cheesecakes ($12.30) come in a variety of flavors, including original, matcha, coffee, strawberry, Oreo, chocolate, and ube. I tried the matcha one, and I really enjoyed the strong, but not bitter, matcha flavor. Unlike thicker classic New York cheesecakes, the texture is soft, pillowy, and similar to bread but not jiggly. As of now, original, matcha, and ube cheese tarts are only available at this San Mateo location but not at the one in Valley Fair (yet). Although smaller in size, these cheese tarts are richer than the cheesecakes. The shortbread crust was buttery with no soggy bottoms, but the creamy filling was a bit sour and too cheesy for me and my family, which disappointed me since I had loved eating these in Sydney...must be a slightly different recipe. I'll have to try the original or Oreo burnt basque cake next time! read more

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Ewwww new cheesecake tart alert! I recently discovered the mini cheesecake cake tarts and I absolutely loved them. I couldn't wait to come back and have more! They remind me of Baked in SF but much closer to home! It made me so happy!!! I was full of anticipation to get my dessert today and noticed something was different about the tarts but couldn't place my finger on it since they look similar and are the same price as before ... But I just tried to eat one just now... gross! Please bring the old ones back!! The old versions were amazing, buttery goodness!! The new ones are bland, runny and tasted a bit sour, ew! So disgusting! I'm still drinking water to wash the taste out of my mouth.... Update: They allowed me to return my tarts and I was impressed by their concern about the food quality. They immediately tried the tarts to see if they had quality issues. They explained the tart change is permanent (makes me very sad) and that there is more filling so that might be why it's runnier. I still dislike the new taste but appreciated the customer service. read more

First time having Japanese cheesecake and it was like a "cheese CAKE". More light and airy, and different from the American style. People who don't like it because it's not dense and really sweet are people who are used to the American style. Asians typically don't like things too sweet and dense so maybe your taste buds are not used to it. This is still good, especially if you want something more light and fluffy. The service was great too! The girl at the counter 10 minutes before closing on a Tuesday night (thank you for your patience and good customer service!) read more

Over the weekend, we decided to stop at Uncle Tetsu to bring home a cheesecake. None of us have had one of Uncle Tetsu's cheesecake before so we thought it was best to start with the original. The transaction was super easy and quick which I loved. Because that means I can be in and out quickly. The cheesecake was light and airy and fluffy. It was sweet but not too sweet. I love that it's the perfect balance of texture and flavor. It's almost too easy to eat most of the cake in one sitting. I would definitely love to go back and try some of their other flavors. The Oreo and the strawberry are supposed to be fan favorites. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Omg I finally had this place fresh and wow I love it !!! Location convenient at the Hillsdale mall food court Beautiful and clean. Staff was very nice and fast Love that you can see the ovens and the cheese cakes being pulled out fresh and package. We ordered a deal of four cheese tarts!! Omg I wish I got more sooo yummy!! We ordered the Ube, chocolate, and original cheese tart. They did have matcha but we only got those 3 flavors to try. Over all 5 stars can't wait to come back! read more

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Skip the flavored stuff and go directly for the original cheesecake that's so light airy yet moist. I tried the cheese tarts for the first time in the ube, I don't think it set before they sold it because it was very runny and disfigured as I was carrying it in the tote. The ube wasn't very apparent either. The crust was crunchy but the filling was funny. I prefer the cheesecakes over the tarts, don't waste money on the tastes read more

Tried this before when a colleague brought some of them to work. Recently went here myself and got the mini ube and original flavor of their Japanese cheese cakes. Love the light springy flavor of these. The ube is probably my favorite. Also at least takes like it doesn't have a ton of sugar. I still also really like the ones you can get at Cheesecake Factory, but if you're looking for a lighter and still very tasty dessert try some of these cheese cakes. read more

Uncle Tetsu is surprisingly cheap - we got the original for $12? I don't think you can find prices like these anywhere else in the Bay Area for dessert. Came on a weekday afternoon and didn't seem to be that many people, but then again there's a pandemic in our country. The cheesecake was pretty good. I like how versatile it is, they have a sheet you can request in the front that lets you know how the cake will taste under what certain temperature conditions. Right of the bat though, it has the jiggly Japanese cheesecake consistency, but I would say what is lacking is maybe the texture of the outside of the cheesecake where it is too soggy for my liking. But overall, solid cheesecake for the price given. Also, during the holidays the stamp they put on is Christmas themed which is very cute! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Original Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Fluffy light not over sweetened cheesecake that makes your mouth water. Forget the Greeks. I think the Japanese invented the cheesecake! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Literally the most delicious cheesecake ever. It's so fluffy, light, and not overly sweet nor overwhelming in matcha flavor. It's not bitter or anything like that, but you still get that earthy taste. Service is quick, not much else to say about that. It's nice to have so many options in the Hillsdale Mall Food Court, including this one. I love the little mascot decor they add onto the cheesecake, too!! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Matcha Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Finally got to try this place! I loved the cheesecakes. So different than the New York cheesecake. The texture is light, airy and fluffy. Not too sweet. It was like eating a cloud cake. My sister ordered the original, strawberry and matcha. My favorite was the matcha. You could really taste the bitter matcha powder and I loved that the cake did no fall apart. So fluffy and perfect! I would get this one again. My second favorite was the original. It was so creamy and light. A hint of cream cheese flavor. Loved the texture. The strawberry cake reminded me of Strawberry Nisquick. It has a cute pink color and it reminds me of kid birthday parties. If you like strawberry milk you will like this one. Not really for me. I will be back :) read more

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I can't believe they brought Uncle Tetsu to the Bay! This was one of my favorites when I lived in SoCal. We made the drive to San Mateo an hour before closing. We were super scared we weren't going to make it but we called in advance to see what flavors they had and what not. We were planning to online order but we realized it only works for orders a day in advance. Nonetheless, we got there 30 mins before closing and the line was STILL long. We waited about 20 mins before we got to order. It was fascinating seeing them stamp the cheesecakes with the Halloween themed logo. Even though they had all the flavors available when we first called, when we arrived they ran out of majority flavors. I was able to secure a Matcha cheesecake and original. Pumpkin is in season right now! I'd definitely get it if I were you. I've tried before at the Arcadia location and it was phenomenal. We were trying to buy for our friends too who couldn't come and they were kind of rude to us when we wanted to order more. We would've understood if they politely declined but they were kinda passive aggressive which is why I docked a star. Onto the cheesecakes, they were amazing as always. The matcha cheesecake was not too matcha concentrated which I appreciated. The original cheesecake is a classic. My family and I enjoyed bought cakes. They're super light and fluffy. I hope the next time I come they finally have the flavors I've been wanting to try. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Matcha and Original - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Anytime I'm at Hillsdale Mall, it's difficult for me to pass on Uncle Tetsu. Thankfully for my waistline, I don't work in San Mateo anymore. Over the years, I've tried almost all of their cheesecake flavors. My top are: 1. Original Burnt Basque Cake 2. Original Cheesecake 3. Strawberry Cheesecake 4. Chocolate Cheesecake The last time I came by, I saw they added cheese tarts on the menu. I didn't get any this time, but I plan to try them next time! read more

My first visit to Uncle Tetsu & to the Hillsdale Mall since the start of the pandemic. Upon approaching the counter, the COVID-19 safety protocols were in place, staff was gloved and masked. The cakes were no longer openly displayed but already pre-packed in individual boxes. It's been more than a year since my last visit, pre-pandemic, I noticed new flavors in particular an Oreo and Ube flavor in addition to a burnt Basque cheesecake. I stuck with the regular versions and got the Oreo and original cheesecakes. The price is still not bad for under $12 since it's opening on my visit. Note that the Basque cheesecakes were almost double the price. I was pleased with both my selections, however I thought the Oreo one didn't taste much like Oreo--it was kind of tasteless; baked with crumbled Oreo cookies and came decorated with a big Oreo cookie. My favorites are still their original and the chocolate cheesecakes. I prefer the airy, light fluffiness rather than the heavy and dense NY style cheesecake. read more

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