More than just a cake

Windsor Park

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/08/2023 (977 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Somewhat hidden away in Windsor Park, circled by Windsor Park Collegiate and Winakwa Community Centre, is RIKA Cheese Garden, a Japanese cheesecake bakery and soon-to-be catering service, owned and operated by siblings Poy and Lily Riankasemsakul.

Although they’ve been been open at 1079 Autumnwood Dr., for two years, the Riankasemsakuls are still looking to expand their reach, stretching beyond supplying desserts for other businesses and completing individual cake orders through delivery apps such as UberEats.

“We usually supply to other places,” said Lily, a baker. “But it would be really cool if more people (came) here.”

“We want to supply products for any time,” said business manager Poy, adding that these could be anything from cheese tarts for a catered party to individual servings for walk-in customers — students from the neighbouring high schools, for example — looking to satisfy a quick craving.

“We would love to sponsor wedding socials, or other kinds of events, just to let people get (the first) taste,” Lily said, adding that they plan to add something new to their menu as often as every month.

Japanese cheesecake, although it shares the same name, is entirely different than its more well-known, Greek alternative. It’s known to be soft, fluffy, and not overly sweet. For a level of sweetness that rivals most regular birthday cakes, a smear of jam or something jam-adjacent, is recommended.

The signature cheesecake recipe is the most popular item on their menu, Lily said, which is the stand-alone blueprint for the other cakes they offer, such as matcha and ube. They’ve also seen success with Basque burnt cheesecake, which gets its name from a caramelized crust created by high temperatures.

And, alongside boasting the only menu in the city that offers the aforementioned in-house, signature Japanese cheesecake, RIKA also takes pride in the fact that most of its menu options are gluten-free.

“There’s not a lot of options for gluten-free dessert,” Lily said.

“Healthy foods — you assume it’s not as good,” Poy added. “But it’s just as tasty as regular cake.”

The only items on the menu that cannot be made gluten-free are the cheese tarts.

Although the space seems small, a bustling bakery is hidden just beyond the side door, and the siblings are outwardly passionate about not only sharing their desserts, but their personal tastes and experiences which have been stamped into the recipes — not unlike the trademark stamp on the top of the cakes.

“We want to share these different types of cake,” Poy said. “We’re the only ones doing this (in the area), and we want to share the community. It’s more than just a regular dessert.”

“If you try it — a lot of people love it, and they keep coming back,” Lily said.

For more information, enquiries, and more visit rikacheesegarden.com or call 204-256-5286.