Basuku

I finally got to try Basuku's purple potato Basque cheesecake! It's definitely on the pricey side and while I liked the unique flavor, I was hoping for a bit more sweetness. The texture tho was super creamy and satisfying. Just a heads up it's not the easiest to grab one since they have specific pickup times, so plan ahead. Overall, it's worth a try if you prefer desserts that aren't too sweet. I'd still love to go back and check out their other flavors!

Had a slice of the original cheesecake, and it is actually heavier than I had expected. It was creamy and delicious though, but pretty dense.

I have been following this cheesecake for years. Cheesecake is my death row dessert of choice.I saw an instagram post that they were selling whole cakes (they sold out quickly online the day prior) and VERY limited slices at Garden Creamery in the Mission of SF yesterday. I did not want to miss my chance - so I lined up an hour early. I was only behind 4 other people (they said on Instagram there were only going to be 20+ slices for sale - with a per person limit of 2.)I bought one slice of horchata, and one slice of banana. They are not huge slices (a slice is 1/4 of a cake). I will say a price of nearly $13 per slice is pretty steep (which is the only reason for the less than perfect score).The middle is just like the photos - loose and creamy - these were just as good as I imagined them in my head. I am going to try and make one - (on YouTube the NYT has a video of Molly Baz making one- so check it out if you are like-minded).The gal behind me in line said that the Oreo flavor blew her mind, so I will keep an eye out for other pop ups.

I recently heard about this cheesecake and how hard it is to get one. People line up for an hour in hopes of getting one of the 15 available that day. I don't have that patience, but I followed them on Instagram anyway to see if any convenient opportunities would come up.Luckily for me, they were doing 30 email orders last Sunday, with pickup at a restaurant that is a 10 min walk from me. Perhaps beginners luck, but I got one! Apparently they had 300 emails within the first few minutes.I tried it last night and it was beautifully smooth, caramelized, and not too sweet. I didn't eat it the day of pickup (was saving to bring to my parents), and because there's no crust I don't think waiting had any adverse effects. It looks really small for $35, but it is pretty dense so the 5 of us only finished half in one sitting. Good luck everyone! Follow their Instagram for the best opportunities.

4.5 stars but rounding up since Basuku is still the king of the Basque style cheesecakes. It's getting slightly easier to find Basuku cheesecake, and Vino Enoteca in Palo Alto is a reliable spot without a crazy wait (this was the case when I went a few months ago). You can pre-purchase slices on Vina Enoteca's website (I believe it was during a specific window of time on Wednesdays) for pickup on Fridays. They also have cheesecakes available (whole and by the slice) for sale on Fridays on a first come, first served basis. Customers can only purchase a maximum of one whole cheesecake. I arrived by 10:30am to wait in line, but it really wasn't necessary. There were maybe 7 people in line when they opened at 11am. I tried:[https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=g7TKPX0yjoF1t632TSTGDQ&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg]-Original Cheesecake ($38, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=J8OZcgK26jUa01dzrumN9g&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=v5mXKg1Bc97hDgnZakadgA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Basuku's cheesecake manages to be dense but still creamy and fluffy. They are one of the few versions I've tried where the center is still slightly gooey. I loved that their cheesecake isn't too sweet, and has a subtle tangy note- a must try!-Cookies n' Cream Cheesecake (Slice/$12, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Eg_z_SfuVWs7tsaxwZAbOg&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Solid flavor, but not as good as their original. The texture is still great, and the center was still slightly gooey. However, the cookies n cream was a little too sweet for my preference, and I wish it had more cookies n cream flavor. Still good though, and worth trying once!I wouldn't stand in line for Basuku, but would stop by Vino Enoteca on a Friday to try more of their cheesecake flavors. Parking was easy to find in this plaza since there were plenty of spots.

COVID-19 PICKUP When I grow up, I want to be a Golden Girl and eat cheesecake every single night. Not just any cheesecake but Basuku's Japanese-inspired Basque Cheesecakes. These bad boys are so bomb it would make man hangry Blanche Devereaux forget about that meat stick...Well, temporarily, at least because she's thirsty AF. Never had a Japanese-inspired Basque Cheesecake?Virgin here too. These crustless cheesecake are cooked at a high heat producing an crackly, burnt exterior but with a deliciously rich, custardy center (the Japanese twist). Cheesecake meets caramel flan without being overly heavy and sweet. It's made with just 5 ingredients sourced from local farms (gluten-free).Simplicity at its best. Other Info:* A passion project born out of COVID from a Michelin starred industry veteran (Spruce, Hakkasan, Tartine, and Maum). * Small batch with limited quantities; check IG page for ordering details: https://www.instagram.com/basukucheesecakes/.* Price: 6 inch cheesecake (2 lbs) for $30.* Dessert with a cause: 100% of opening week proceeds goes to NAACP and Equal Justice Initiative. * Pickup at Magnolia Mini Mart (Oak) and Ferry Building (SF).* Cheesecake is good for 3 days. Wrap leftovers in saran wrap and keep refrigerated.

i was fortunate to try cookies and cream, creamsicle, and passionfruit all in one week. it was the best week ever haha. all of these flavors were amazing. wowwwwwwww. wow. wow. i wish these cheesecakes were easier to get. but taking the time to wait in line, following their insta, and having foodie friends def make it all worth it to eat these delicious cheesecakes.my fav so far is creamsicle and passionfruit. please go try and get one! or a slice. you will not have any regrets.

hashtag blessed cus i finally had the chance to try basuku's :')before this, i've tried many imitations, keki sf by tim, or uncle tetsu's. i'll leave a comparison to keki's below, because tetsu's was a frigging joke LOL. i'm thankful that it's finally back to waiting in person because i was just never fast enough to do this online. charles, creator and baker, finally had a pop up where it wasn't on work days and it being in sf ! (it's usually in oakland and that's just too far for me) buying (there was i think 40 cakes) was at 3pm but i came at 2pm and was 5th in line and 20 minutes later, there was already so many people behind me. this was at lily on clement in sf (one of their very very few pop ups in sf) so i have no idea how it's usually like in oakland or at night bird sf. so i'd recommend coming a hour earlier, bring a chair. also bring either at least 50$ in cash/venmo/card for a cake just in case. its one cake per person so if you want another cake, bring another person. how does keki, an imitation, compare to the OG, who brought basque cheesecake to sf? ok. basukus is wayyyy more airy and fluffy. as it feels almost like liquid that glides down your throat cus it's so smooth. keki's is more dense and compact which translates to being more heavier in the stomach. basukus flavor profile is more sweet and egg fragrant while keki is less sweet and more cheesy-er so it just taste like a cheesy cheesecake. however near the end of the cake like the edge/crust, they both merged in flavor and texture. they're both still really good and keki really made a good effort. to sum it up, keki taste like a high end cheesy cheesecake but basuku taste like an even higher end, light yet creamy cheesecake that rich people eat LOL. after trying basuku, i think i prefer them slightly more because since it feels less heavy, i feel less fat and guilty eating it LOL. it's just really hard to obtain/purchase which is why it gets a four, not five.

I knew it was going to be good although I didnt know it was going to be this good. The outside was a solid texture only to have a perfectly creamy center. I have had this type of cheesecake in Europe and these folks do it right. Perfection!

We picked up the Original, Hot Chocolate, Cookies & Cream adn the Sakura cheesecakes in Palo Alto. We really love the hot chocolate. We got there early and the person(maybe owner) started selling a few munutes early. Which is great. The oreo amd original were great as well. The Sakura flavor still turned out good. Wondering if they would try matcha next time.