Cookie Dough Cheesecake

By: The Moody Critic

Who needs plating when the plating is the dessert itself?

One look and I know that I wouldn't be disappointed with this dessert. Superficially, it does have this solid and compact appeal. Those little cookie toppings simply couldn't hide the dessert's obvious theme and that appetizing property.

Matching its appearance, every succeeding mouthful could attest that this dessert followed the dogma of making the perfectly baked cheesecake. Compactness, check! Even consistency, check! Appropriate density, check! and the ideal cheesecake texture, check! The only element lacking from this dessert however, was its thickness. To the very least, it should have been made an inch higher for that chunkiness appeal to surface.

Ingenious base! As the name suggests, cookie dough, a becomingly popular component of desserts nowadays was used for its base. An ordinary or perhaps a traditional chef would use it as a ganache but not those at Chelsea Kitchen. Not only did it give that appropriate contrast in color, but it also rescued the moderately bland cheesecake matrix through its sweet and salty creaminess giving me the contrast in taste I was looking for. This is the first time I ever considered the base almost as significant as the matrix. Well done!

Presentation: 8.1
Taste: 8.0
Texture and consistency: 8.4
Complexity: 7.8
Value for money: 7.0

Overall rating: 8.0/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Resto: Chelsea Kitchen
Address: G/F SM Megamall, Mega Fashion Hall, EDSA cor. Julia Vargas Ave., Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila
Full food name: Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Price: P250.00

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Slice's Red Velvet Cheesecake

By: The Moody Critic

"Massively and enticingly made!"

While other desserts fail to show harmony with the color schematics, this one followed the correct theme with respect to the concept of red velvet desserts: a black base, a white frosting layer, on top and a sea of crimson that manifests a paradox of firmness and velvety consistency intertwined.

The cream cheese frosting layer, though having had a good ratio of thickness with its cheesecake matrix, lacked that penetrating saccharine property. This only made a partial synergism of tastes causing the marked bitterness of the Oreo crust to surface.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this dessert wins the serving size award. Having an approximately 4-inch thickness, you would really surrender consuming this dessert in one shot thus necessitating the helping hand of your friends. However, sharing this ecstasy with others suggests sharing the bill as well. You would be a little surprised that a slice of this dessert will cost you a fortune. Never again will you undermine the meaning of the word "slice".

Presentation: 8.2
Taste: 8.1
Texture and consistency: 8.5
Complexity: 7.8
Value for money: 7.0

Overall rating: 8.1/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Resto: Slice
Address: G/F Southeast block, Bonifacio High Street Central, 7th Avenue corner 29th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Full food name: Red Velvet Cheesecake
Price: P290.00
Serving: 1-2 person/s

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Uncle Cheffy Cheesecake

By: The Moody Critic

While waiting for our food, I decided to have a quick tour around the restaurant just to kill the time. The thing that first attracted me was their cake display case. As I look upon the variety of desserts they had on display, one cake stood out among the rest... in a bad way! One look and you'll say that this is one of those forsaken desserts because it seemed to have stood inside the case way past its expiration date to be able to develop such moldy appearance. I left hoping that our paths would never cross again.

I chose the Uncle Cheffy Cheesecake for dessert because it was the most probable flagship dessert of this restaurant as the title suggests. However, as soon as this dessert was served on my table, I was in fierce denial because the cake looked very familiar. It dawned to me that it was that grotesque moldy dessert! Questions came rushing in my mind. Was the concept and presentation of the cake intended? Were they thinking of culturing Aspergillus species on this cake? And how would I find the courage to eat it?

Because this dessert carried the esteemed "Uncle Cheffy" title, it is very much expected that it should be the restaurant's best-seller. I really tried to grasp the idea that there must be something special under that ill-looking masquerade. Unfortunately, there was nothing. It was no different from your average cheesecake in terms of taste. The cheesecake matrix had this marked humidity accompanied by an undercooked mushy consistency. The matrix-to-base ratio was obviously out of proportion. The base was made too thick and it was evidently uneven throughout the length of the cake slice. Lastly, I find the plating really pathetic because it lacked the accentuating contrast needed to give this dessert that appetizing appeal.

Presentation: 4.5
Taste: 5.5
Texture and consistency: 5.2
Serving size: 7.5
Value for money: 5.4

Overall rating: 5.4/10
Mood: DISGUSTED

Resto: Uncle Cheffy
Address: 3rd Level Atrium, SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Full food name: Uncle Cheffy Cheesecake
Price: P150.00

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Dolcelatte's Red Velvet Cheesecake

By: The Moody Critic

Combining modern defiant crimson with traditional white elegance was never a problem for this dessert.

The frosting without a doubt was the trump card of this dessert because not only was it designed to have those intricate rosettes or billows but it was made to harmonize with the rich cheesecake matrix and its semi-bland base.

The cheesecake matrix lacked compactness and the dead air spaces within it was quite easy to discriminate. These air spaces made the matrix osteoporotic causing the latter to easily break apart or fall off.

The red velvet base was moist and was cooked evenly. However, the idea of making ectopic red velvet layers within the cheesecake matrix tarnished the apparent elegance of this dessert. It looked like it has open surgical wounds that need attending to. It would have been better if they adhered to the standard layering of cheesecakes.

Peek a boo! I see you! The partly hidden caramel sauce underneath the red velvet base seemed to be very modest in proclaiming that this dessert is worth a try. It either needs a new plating design or a trip to oblivion.

Presentation: 8.7
Taste: 9.0
Texture and consistency: 8.3
Serving size: 9.0
Value for money: 9.1

Overall rating: 8.8/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Resto: Dolcelatte
Address: 1616 Quezon Ave., South Triangle, Quezon City
Full food name: Red Velvet Cheesecake
Price: P150.00

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Mango Chiboust

By: The Moody Critic

No bee or butterfly would dare overlook this alluring flower-like dessert. The sweet extract from the beautifully arranged fresh mango slices seemed like honeydew from heaven.

Surprisingly, the cheesecake matrix had a strange wet cotton wool consistency. Though it may not be as solid or compact like your everyday cheesecake, it didn't melt, collapse, or show any sign of deterioration at room temperature.

The harmony and balance of tastes together with the coherence in color choice for the matrix and base layers make this dessert a winner. The meticulous handiwork applied on this dessert will surely make eating this piece of art a painful struggle

Presentation: 9.4
Taste: 8.9
Texture and consistency: 8.3
Serving size: 8.2
Value for money: 8.4

Overall rating: 8.8/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Resto: Bizu Patisserie
Address: Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, Makati City
Full food name: Mango Chiboust
Price: P195.00

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Forest Berry Cheesecake

By: The Moody Critic

There's more to this cake than its apparent cuteness. First, you may consider this as a 2-week old forgotten birthday cake in the fridge because the base layer was mysteriously hard, coarse, and dry. Second, the middle layer had a shocking rubbery consistency similar to the nodes of Hodgkin's Lymphoma. This layer would also demand tremendous muscle effort because your fork has the tendency of sticking avidly to the cake. So when you pull your fork from that layer, you will be dragging the entire cake. Moreover, this cheesecake was ridiculously nutty thus preventing me to savor the richness of the cream cheese.

To me, it was a Sahara desert experience rather than a forest adventure. However, the oasis of that desert-like experience was the white chocolate frosting. Although it was excessively sweet, it revived the entire dessert because of its highly contrasting and potent taste. The overall structure was quite appealing also because of its unique dome shape compared to the standard cheesecake wedge.

Presentation: 7.0
Taste: 6.5
Texture and consistency: 4.2
Serving size: 6.6
Value for money: 8.2

Overall rating: 7.2/10
Mood: UNSATISFIED

Resto: Cheesecake Etc.
Address: Northeast Square Bldg., Greenhills, San Juan
Full food name: Forest Berry Cheesecake
Price: P160.00

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Two Nut Caramel Cheesecake

By: The Moody Critic

With its relatively cheap price, you can never go wrong with this dessert when you come to the shop to fill your empty stomach.

The cheesecake matrix was very compact but it slightly lacked the ideal texture that I was looking for.

Above the rich matrix comes the poverty-stricken caramel layer. If they managed to saturate this dessert with not just one, but two kinds of nuts, then they could have bathed it with lavish caramel sauce instead. I really struggled to find the caramel taste up to the very last bite and I tried to conserve what little caramel was available just to match the generous amount of the cheesecake matrix. Although disappointed, this layer was still the reason why I chose this particular dessert because the caramel was captivatingly arranged in a Medusa-like or devil's snare-like manner.

Surprisingly, I noticed that the base layer was quite softer compared to the other cheesecake bases I ate before from this restaurant so I managed to consume the dessert completely.

Presentation: 8.0
Taste: 7.4
Texture and consistency: 7.8
Serving size: 9.0
Value for money: 9.0

Overall rating: 7.9/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Resto: Banapple Pies & Cheesecakes
Address: Il Terrazo Mall, Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City
Full food name: Two Nut Caramel Cheesecake
Price: P105.00

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Oh! La La

By: The Moody Critic

It is an innovative idea to give the classic Oreo cheesecake a makeover. However, the thought of making the cheesecake matrix a marble of hazelnut and vanilla didn't work for me. By deviating from the standard layering seen in typical cheesecakes, the cake loss the balance and the potential synergistic effect of its flavors. It was like hazelnut as episode one and vanilla as episode two. Another downside of this dessert was the increased humidity of the matrix by roughly 30%. It was like eating a piece of a poor unsuspecting bread that fell into a cup of coffee. I also believe that the general idea of making a cheesecake is making it more hydrophobic than hydrophilic.

Presentation: 8.0
Taste: 7.3
Texture and consistency: 6.0
Serving size: 6.6
Value for money: 8.2

Overall rating: 7.2/10
Mood: AMBIVALENT

Resto: Fleur De Lys Patisserie & Cafe
Address: Tomas Morato ave., South triangle, Quezon city
Full food name: Oh! La La
Price: P98.00

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Yo-ho-Hope!

By: The Moody Critic

Though this cheesecake may look like it has underwent some melting, it didn't prevent it from kicking some butt. Originally made as a Christmas-season dessert, the hidden candied pecans under the custard layer gives you an explosion of a very distinct roasted nut effect; just perfect for the holidays!

This dessert has three layers: a top layer of custard cream, a middle layer of rich chocolate fudge, and a bittersweet base of chocolate cookies. The middle fudgy layer could have been made 20% sweeter while the base layer should be 10% sweeter so that they would potentiate the sharp sweetness of the top layer. Unfortunately, the posterior portion of the base layer was made very thick and it was also unyielding because it was as hard and compact as a bone. This gave me the impression that it was overcooked.

WARNING: This is a very very dense dessert which warrants small frequent feedings. It may actually be consumed by two people.

Presentation: 7.3
Taste: 8.8
Texture and consistency: 7.9
Serving size: 9.4
Value for money: 9.2

Overall rating: 8.4/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Resto: Banapple Pies & Cheesecakes
Address: Il Terrazo Mall, Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City
Full food name: Yo-ho-hope!
Price: P120.00

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