[Product Review] Cheese Garden

Company: Cheese Garden
Product Type: Japanese cheesecakes, drinks and desserts
Address: 5291 Yonge St. (North York); Unit G120, 3250 Midland Ave. (Midland); B58-4300 Steeles Ave. E (Pacific Mall)
Operating Hours: Mon- Sun 11 AM - 10 PM (North York); Mon-Sun 12-10 PM (Midland); Mon-Sun 12-8 PM (Pacific Mall)
Website: www.cheesegarden.ca

Interior

North York location

Menu

Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake, $22.95

Double Fromage Cheesecake, $18.95

Uji Matcha Tiramisu, $11.95

Baked Cheese Tart, $8.85

Review

Cheese Garden is a Japanese cheesecake shop that offers a variety of desserts with currently three locations in Toronto. I had the pleasure of getting a sneak peek of their new and limited edition Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake ($22.95) in celebration of their second anniversary. This cheesecake is only available from October 13th through November 4th, with only 50 available at each store and one per customer! If you visit any of the Toronto stores on October 13th or 14th, you can get 50% off one pastry item (excluding the Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake).

What is yuzu, you may ask? With a quick Google search, yuzu is a citrus fruit that looks like a wrinkled lemon. It's quite sour and tart so yuzu is normally used for flavouring. The Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake consists of three layers: the frozen yuzu mascarpone cheesecake at the top, with the baked pistachio cheesecake encrusted with sugar roasted pistachios in the middle, that all lastly sits on top of the pistachio sponge cake. The cake is covered with pistachio sponge cake crumbs and is decorated with gold flakes and a yuzu-shaped chocolate. The crumbs are incredibly fluffy (which reminds me a bit of fake snowflakes).

The flavour of the Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake is quite unique. I enjoyed it more the second time around when my taste buds got used to it. It would definitely appeal to people who like flavours like matcha or hojicha. I think the presentation of the cake in the wooden box is absolutely adorable and is perfect for a birthday or small party.

If you feel that the yuzu pistachio flavour may be out of your comfort zone, try their classic Double Fromage Cheesecake ($18.95) instead! This is perfect for people who like original flavoured products that are kept simple without all the fuss, but is still delicious.

I also got to try the Uji Matcha Tiramisu ($11.95) and Baked Cheese Tart ($8.85). The Uji Matcha Tiramisu is a very light and easy dessert to eat. The Baked Cheese Tart is similar to an egg tart but is a lot sweeter and spongier.

Check out Cheese Garden for their second anniversary to try any one of their pastries for 50% off on October 13th and 14th and can get your hands on the limited edition Yuzu Pistachio Double Fromage Cheesecake (which runs until November 4th).

[Product Review] Full House Desserts

Company: Full House Desserts
Product Type: Traditional Hong Kong desserts
Address: 9425 Leslie St. & 4750 Yonge St., Suite 121
Operating Hours: Thurs-Tues 5-11 PM, Wed CLOSED
Website: www.fullhousedesserts.com

Full House Sago, $7.49

Mango Pancake, $8.99; Durian Pancake, $10.99

Review

Full House Desserts specializes in traditional Hong Kong desserts. They have two locations, one in Richmond Hill and the other in North York. I was invited to review their desserts and share my thoughts!

I visited their North York location, which is conveniently located by Yonge and Sheppard if you are coming off the subway line. The North York location is a take-out shop where items are already prepackaged and ready to be sold. They have a selection of hot desserts, such as the Black Sesame with Almond Soup ($5.99) and Sweet Ball with Sweet Ginger. I opted to try their cold desserts instead because I couldn't take the food home right away.

The Full House Sago ($7.49) contains mango and pomelo pulp. If you are a fan of mango, you would love this pudding dessert because it packs a punch. In comparison, the Mango ($8.99) and Durian Pancake ($10.99) is full of fresh cream with the fruits stuffed in the middle. They are incredible soft and fluffy to cut through, quite similar to Japanese pancakes! The pancakes can be left in fridge for a couple of days without losing any of the freshness. I like the pancakes because the fillings are delicious; but I prefer it in small doses since I'm normally not a cream person. It's perfect for sharing since you receive two pancakes per order. If you love cream fillings, then definitely give these pancakes a try.

The consistency and taste from these Hong Kong desserts are quite different than what I am used to. If you haven't had traditional Hong Kong sweets yet, Full House Desserts is a great starting point. I think these treats would be a hit at Asian family parties!

Ricci's

Restaurant: Ricci's Pizzeria
Address: 8401 Weston Rd.
Phone: 905-850-8325
Store Hours: Mon-Wed 11 AM - 10 PM, Thurs 11 AM - 10:30 PM, Fri-Sat 11-12 AM, Sun 3-10 PM
Website: www.riccispizza.ca

Menu

Greek Chicken Wrap, $10.50

Review

My Order: Tortellini, $11

Despite being a self-appointed Torontonian, my physical home is in Vaughan. Ricci's is an iconic restaurant in the Woodbridge community. This was actually the very first time I stepped foot into this popular Italian joint, despite being a local resident for almost two decades.

Ricci's is set up like a fast food place where you place and pay for your order at the cashier. Then you have the option to take-out or eat-in (they also deliver for you lazy people out there). I decided to eat-in. I probably waited about 8-10 minutes for my order before they called out my name and brought the food to my table. Ricci's has a very chill and laid-back atmosphere. It's great for people and families that want the dine-in experience without the price tag.

I went for the Tortellini ($11) and my sister ordered the Greek Chicken Wrap ($10.50). We also grabbed Fries ($5) as a side. Both dishes were quite filling. The pasta dishes are inexpensive compared to other Italian restaurants, but the wraps and sandwiches are probably a bit more expensive compared to most places. The Greek Chicken Wrap ended up being very oily, so beware if you decide to order it.

I wouldn't say my mind was blown away by the food. But if I was looking for an affordable and decent place to eat out in Woodbridge, then Ricci's would be my top choice.