Ann W.
Yelp
My friends know that I love desserts, including cheesecakes. I've been known to order dessert first for dinner or many slices of cheesecake in one sitting at the local Cheesecake Factory. It goes without saying that when I first saw Uncle Tetsu in my feed that I was beyond intrigued. Combine that with a general awareness of Japanese-styled cheesecakes, I was eager to come here but reluctant to stand in line, especially during a Montreal winter.
Luckily, my sister had already been here (although she did get lost even with guidance from Google Maps) so she led the way. The storefront, located near Shaughnessy Village/ Concordia University, is tiny, reminding me of some doughnut shops in downtown Chicago. The front of the store accommodates one line so if you get claustrophobic, best if you send in a friend. From the line, you can see the ovens where the cheesecakes are baked and the counters where they are stamped and cooled. During the holidays, a Santa is stamped onto the cheesecakes.
The line was mercifully short, especially before the holidays, and it moved quickly because there isn't a huge selection to trip up the undecided of the world. We soon left with a tiny cheesecake, enough to feed 4, in its distinctive red and white box, and 4 honey-flavored Madeleines.
The fresh-from-the-oven cheesecake was light, in taste and texture, and fluffy. I liked that it was not as sweet as the cheesecakes I more accustomed to tasting, nor as heavy. The Madeleines had a coarse crumb and a crunchy crust. It, too, was subtly flavored. My sister especially appreciated that the small operation creates their products on the premises, rather than shipping them in from another location.