Web Original: Critic’s Notebook: Say Cheesecake


Who doesn’t love cheesecake? A rich wedge of cream cheese, egg and sugar cradled in a graham-cracker crust is the epitome of indulgence for many diners. But this heavy, filling dessert is usually the last thing I want to eat after a full meal.

Not so at Kaya’s Fusion Cuisine in Havertown. On a recent trip, I had to give their cheesecake a try. Since husband-and-wife Michael and Jessica Hawthorne opened the BYOB in August, word has spread about this cheesecake — a fluffy chocolate-chip version whose recipe is a family secret. The rumors are true: this light-as-air cake is truly a happy ending to a meal. And while they may not be willing to cough up the recipe, the Hawthornes do sell whole cheesecakes out of the restaurant for $25.