Junior's

[ngatti]

Stopped for a slice of plain and a cuppa joe. It had been a while, but I thought still as damn good as ever. Certainly worth a stop as part of a Brooklyn Safari.

Anybody have cheesecake faves of their own that I'm missing, and should compare it to.

Nick

[SobaAddict70]

Over the holiday season, we had visits from some of our Florida relatives and also from the Midwest. Apparently there's this place called "The Cheesecake Factory" (locations all over the South and Midwest) which makes cheesecake topped with various toppings. I took a taste of one slice and found it comparable with standard cheesecakes from a diner, but other people might have a more favorable (or negative) impression than mine.

SA

[plax]

I must admit that the Cheesecake Factory is one of my very favorite restaurants. It has all the trappings of a theme place-- long wait, mock Egyptian decor, huge menu-- yet the food is almost always great and you gets tons of it. There's a whole page of cheesecakes. My favorites are (in no particular order) chocolate raspberry; chocolate peanut butter cup; and chocolate tuxedo silk (are you sensing a trend here?) among others. The challenge is getting through the meal with enough room for dessert; almost every person you see leaves with a doggie bag.

Neil

[zeman]

My favorite is S & S Cheesecake in da Bronx!

[ngatti]

My favorite is S & S Cheesecake in da Bronx!

Thanks zeman!!

As far as you other two philistines are concerned...ARRRGGHH!

Edit: You guys know I'm just funnin' with you, right.

Nick

[Beachfan]

I've been to the Cheesecake factory a few times.

I prefer a bakery.

[Pan]

Any particular bakeries in New York you'd recommend for cheesecake? How about recommendations for cream cheese cakes and ricotta (Napolitano and Sicilian style) cakes?

Has anyone tried cheesecake at Something Sweet, my beloved local Austrian pastry place on 1st Av. and 11 St.? I've had other stuff there, and it's great, but I don't remember trying cheesecake. Everything's so rich there, but of course! It's Viennese, after all! Lovely proprietress, too. If you come close to closing time, she's apt to give you two of whatever for the price of one, or/and throw in something she wants you to try.

[La Niña]

Okay, FWIW, cheesecake is not a Viennese thing. Now a good cheese strudel, that's a horse of a different color.

I love the ricotta cheesecake at Monte's Venetian Room, near the oh so lovely Gowanus Canal - it's on Carroll St., between Nevins - 3rd Ave. It's the oldest Italian restaurant in Brookly, or something like that?

[Pan]

How's the rest of the food at that restaurant? I'm also wondering how far that would be from Polytechnic U. (Jay St. about a block from Tillary).

[La Niña]

The rest of the food there is....eh. Old school lotsa red sauce...but nothing interesting. Not bad. But the vibe in there is right outta da movies. Big red leatherette banquettes, murals of Venice on the walls...

You'd take the R train to Union St., and then it's only 4 blocks away. A quick ride.

[bigbear]

..... Monte's Venetian Room, near the oh so lovely Gowanus Canal - it's on Carroll St., between Nevins - 3rd Ave.  It's the oldest Italian restaurant in Brookly, or something like that?

Monte's can be seen in the opening sequences of the movie, Men of Respect (1991), where John Turturro shoots the diners.

[ngatti]

I'm a fan of ricotta cheesecake. Thanks for the tip. I did Juniors *again* this evening. More plain cheescake. Still there, still good.

I don't know how much is just nostalgia. For four years I exited and entered that Dekalb Ave. Subway stop. A few years later I had an apartment on Hoyt and Pacific st, and used to go for Pastrami on twin onion rolls for lunch or Kippers and Eggs on Sunday morn. The cheescake and the resto became part of the fabric of my then existence. You know how these things go.

Leshkos (pierogis) and the B&H (blintz's) in the East Village are two more of those places also.

I've lately taken to dragging people around with me to sample the food of my memories.

Nick

[La Niña]

I forgot! A great, great cheesecake place is Helen's Cheesecake, on Union St. right near the BQE. Same block as Ferdinando's Focacceria (and the late, lamented Latticini Barese). I guess it's Cobble Hill - but on the edge of Red Hook. Helen's has a lovely garden, and a decent cup of coffee. Savory food isn't bad, either - it's a casual place. Loft-like inside. Open kitchen, which is fun to watch.

Edited February 11, 2003 by La Niña (log)

[tigerwoman]

Tal bagels with branches on both the east and west side makes good cheesecake - very moist. Venerio's cheesecake is better than Junior's in my opinion and better than most of the rest of their stuff. But hey, they are very popular with Joe public so who am I to say.

[SobaAddict70]

And then, there is also "tofu cheesecake".

I take no responsibility for any undue reactions you may have to sampling such a gustatory abomination.

SA