Two years ago, Hood Famous Bakeshop made a splash in the Seattle dessert scene. Ube (purple yam) is a flavor that many of us grew up with but Chera Amlag perfected it with her signature cheesecake and took things up a notch. I tried it. I loved it. I wanted it. But alas, there was no place to get it. Running around town to pop-ups, finding restaurants with them on the menu, or stores that had them stocked – this is how I got my cheesecake on.

Earlier this year, Hood Famous Bakeshop opened a sweets-to-go retail counter in Ballard. It’s a small space but all I need is a place where I can grab some dessert then go hide and eat it before someone asks me to share.

Over the years, the dessert line-up has evolved. One of my favorites is the mango calamansi cheesecake. The citrus punch of the calamansi makes a perfect pairing with the tropical mango. Like all their cheesecakes, this one is built on a foundation of coconut butter biscuit crust. It holds together perfectly and stands up to the creamy texture of the filling. Recently, I discovered the Vietnamese coffee cheesecake which offers a distinctive, bold flavor that is tempered by the luscious cream cheese. I’m pretty much in love with all their cheesecakes!

Other products include marshmallows (ube macapuno, strawberry calamansi, toasted coconut) or ube cookies. Both are great treats that travel well and are easy to hide if you’re not into sharing (like me). Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I pre-ordered an ube pie. Think of a sweet potato pie where the filling has a bit of texture and tastes a bit savory but not overly so. Love! If you get a chance, visit Hood Famous Bakeshop.