Harriet’s Cheesecakes Unlimited

June 3, 2009

Inglewood, CA – I had some errands to run not too far away and actually planned my lunch around being able to stop in here at Harriet’s afterwards. Harriet’s flies under the radar of popularity, but do not let that fool you. This place is worth going way out of your way to visit. Some of the best cheesecakes I have ever tasted in all my travels are baked right here by Harriet. And that’s saying something.

Admittedly hard to find unless you know the area or have GPS, Harriet’s Cheesecakes Unlimited (not sure if this is the official Facebook page) sits in an old strip mall on Centinela a few blocks east of La Cienaga Blvd. Drive carefully into the parking lot because it is badly in need of repair. Harriet’s gets a lot of spillover business from Phillip’s Barbecue right next door. Locals know the routine: Walk into Phillip’s. Place order. While order is being prepared, walk next door to Harriet’s for a slice or two of cheesecake. Return to Phillip’s to pick up order.

Another customer arrived at the same time as I did. While she was being served, I realized that Harriet’s should soon be coming up on their 30th anniversary. Striking up a conversation with Michael, son of owner Harriet, we tried to determine exactly how long Harriet’s has been serving up her famous confections. I wanted to do an interview with Harriet after their 25th anniversary but kept putting it off. Then my work took me far away from Inglewood.

The store itself is very plain looking. A counter and two park benches is about all there is. The counter has no cash register or credit card machine – cash only, please. The benches are for waiting, not dining. A customer or two will come into the shop every so often. On the wall are a couple of framed reviews from local magazines and newspapers. Behind the counter, a dry-erase board lists the 15 or so flavors of the day. These change daily. If a colored magnet appears on top of the flavor you chose, you are too late; that flavor has sold out for the day. In the back, though, is where the magic happens. Part of that magic is being able to create nearly 60 different exceptional flavors of cheesecake. Try these on for size: Kahlua, Sweet Potato, Grasshopper, Peaches ‘N Cream. Hungry yet?

What sets Harriet’s apart – aside from her unique recipes – are the fresh ingredients. You’ll certainly experience this the instant you take your first bite. Harriet’s cheesecakes are all homemade. To really appreciate how much better homemade is, compare Harriet’s to any other mass-produced cheesecake that’s been sitting in another restaurant’s refrigerator (or freezer) for a couple of days/weeks or more.

One of my favorite things about Harriet’s cheesecake are the fresh toppings. If you order a chocolate type cheesecake, she will top it with freshly shaved curls of chocolate. Most of the other toppings are also added right before your chosen pie is brought out to you. It is then carefully placed on a plate and wrapped in cellophane.

Being the chocoholic that I am, my mission has been to try each and every one of Harriet’s cheesecakes that have chocolate in them. I’m still working my way through the list – the chocolate offerings alone run two-dozen deep. Of course, I have tried some without chocolate. Of all the pies I have tried, my favorite, though it’s not chocolate, is the Praline. The praline cheesecake is topped with, what else, properly pralined pecans. Properly roasted pralined pecans. Roasting the pralines definitely pumps up the volume. Good enough to eat by themselves. Thick, gooey caramel is generously drizzled on top. Between the filling and the cream cheese top is a thin layer of caramel. Inside the filling is another thin layer of caramel just above the handmade graham cracker crust. Mmmmmmm. My eyes have just rolled back in my head. Ohhhhhhhhhh, man!

On this visit I got the Bailey’s® Irish Cream and the Praline. I hadn’t gotten around to trying the Bailey’s yet so it was new to me. In case you’re wondering, yes, Harriet’s uses real Bailey’s in the cheesecake, which you really can taste. So much so that it felt almost as if I just enjoyed a tumbler of Bailey’s on the rocks while sitting in my reclining chair.

How good are Harriet’s creations? The staff usually asks if you want a fork, presumably because so many people can’t wait until they get back home or to the office before they dig in. Some have felt the need to have a cigarette afterwards. (You make the connection.) For me, once I have a forkful on my taste buds, I often just sit there almost in disbelief of how anything can taste this good. Delicious, heavenly, blissful, all those other adjectives cannot adequately describe this delicacy. Smoother and creamier than most other cheesecakes, each forkful practically melts in your mouth. I try to eat any cheesecake I get from Harriet’s in as much solitude as possible so I can devote all my senses to savoring every single morsel. Yeah, it’s like that.

All of Harriet’s regulars know the schedule and it seems like most others who make an occasional visit somehow know, too. For you first-timers, here’s some tribal knowledge: Harriet’s is closed on Sundays and Mondays. They serve slices and limited whole pies right there to walk-ins, but as a rule whole pies must be ordered in advance. If a flavor you want is not on the daily menu or is sold out, you’ll have to try another option or order it. On the day before Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve (not sure about New Year’s Eve), the store is open but only for customers who are picking up whole pies that have been ordered a day or more in advance. If you want a pie or three for the holidays, order very early. They don’t have a website so you’ll have to call to find out what is coming out of the oven that day. Or, just walk in and be pleasantly surprised.

Harriet’s Cheesecake – 5 forks. Very highly recommended. One of the best-kept secrets in greater L.A. A true jewel.

This review is dedicated to the memory of Charmaine Deering. She accompanied me on countless visits to Harriet’s. Charmaine, I still haven’t tried the Sweet Potato cheesecake yet. But I will.