Jiggly Cheesecake: Uncle Rikuro’s Osaka Specialty
Did you know that Osaka has a term called ‘kui-daore’ that means ‘eat till you’re broke’? It makes sense since Osaka has so much good food. We’ve covered savory classics like okonomiyaki and kushikatsu, but Osaka also has sweet options. One famous and Insta-worthy Osaka sweet is the jiggly cheesecake you’ve probably seen on your social media feed.
Let’s learn more about this fun, jiggly dessert and all about Rikuro’s Shop where it all started!
About Rikuro’s Jiggly Cheesecake
There once was a shop called Rikuro’s Shop (Rikuro Ojisan no Mise) that sold a tasty, and very jiggly cheesecake. It had a local shop feel, but as it gained popularity, it also gained plenty of free publicity through social media. And that led to even more success.
Rikuro’s Shop sells plenty of treats, but the cheesecake is the true star. It’s not cheesecake in the traditional sense and probably doesn’t match what you think of when you hear the word ‘cheesecake’. The reason is that it’s actually a souffle cheesecake and is more akin to a sponge cake.
The way it’s prepared makes it light and airy like a sponge cake, but cream cheese helps to give it a slightly denser feel. The airiness of it is what creates that sweet, sweet jiggle that we love on social media.
In terms of taste, don’t expect the same flavor as a cheesecake. It’s pretty unique in that it has a really light cheese flavor. It also has a nice sweetness to it, especially with the raisins spattered around the bottom outer ring. (If you don’t like raisins, you can avoid them super easily). It also has a unique texture that is soft and fluffy and literally melts in your mouth.
Plus, you’ll be thinking of Uncle Rikuro (Rikuro Ojisan) the entire time because the mascot himself is branded on top of the cake.
What Makes It So Special
Fresh Cake
If you go to the main shop or most of the branches, you have two options. The first is to buy one of the cakes made earlier that day. The cakes can last up to three days, but that fact is more for the customer than the shop since their made fresh that day.
This option also means that you’re going to get your cake faster. In this case, the cake will deflate, but will inflate again with 20 seconds in a microwave.
The other option is to get one fresh out of the oven. They cook them by the dozen from open to close, so you can enjoy it truly fresh. This is the more popular option, so the lines for the “hot out the oven” option tend to be a bit longer.
Premium Ingredients
Part of what makes this cheesecake so popular is the premium ingredients that go into each cake. According to the official Rikuro's Shop website (Japanese), One ingredient that they take pride in is their cream cheese. The cream cheese is imported all the way from Denmark from a specific manufacturer that met Rikuro’s standards.
They are also quite particular about the eggs and other dairy that goes into the cake, which are important to the flavor, the fluffiness and the texture. Last is the raisins. We know that raisins are divisive in some areas of the world, but Rikuro’s takes great pride in their raisins that soak in their homemade syrup.
Where Can I Try Rikuro’s Jiggly Cheesecake
Rikuro’s has 11 locations in Japan—all in Osaka. It makes sense as an Osaka brand, but also means that you can’t get it outside of Osaka. The main shop is located in Namba, super close to the popular Dotonbori shopping and dining street.
The Namba location is actually a three-story shop. The first story is where you line up and wait for your fresh cake, but the second and theird floor features a café, one of two official cafes in the Rikuro franchise. We’ll get more into that later. Some of the shops feature sit-down areas as well.
Meanwhile, the locations in station markets, like the Shin-Osaka bullet train station or Umeda station, are just there to sell jiggly cheesecake and other treats. One interesting fact is that, while the shops carry Rikuro products, not all of the shops carry the exact same products.
Some carry roll cakes or apple pies, while others carry butter cookies or pudding. While the English website doesn’t show all of the information about it, the Japanese site has info on what shop sells what.
Riku Café
Speaking of treats, the Riku Café is great for trying all of the treats Rikuro’s Shop offers. They have You can also enjoy treats that are exclusive to Riku Café. Like we mentioned earlier, one location is in Namba at the main store. The other location is their Saito no Mori location, which is located in northern Osaka and is surrounded by greenery.
Both locations feature a special menu with some delicious items. Of course, they have to have their famous cheesecake, both whole and quarter cut, as well as café drinks like coffee, lattes, tea and juice. In terms of other sweets, café-goers can enjoy pudding, tarts, and more.
The Namba café has a tasty dish of fresh Mont Blanc over their signature cheesecake. You can also find plenty of seasonal treats. For example, at the time of writing, there’s a premium chocolate tart to celebrate Valentine’s Day and a delicious Japanese strawberry tart for the season.
What’s Else is On the Menu?
Besides jiggly cheesecake and café treats, Rikuro’s shop has plenty of items on the menu. Again, the menu may not be the same from one location to another, and the Riku Café will always have exclusive items. However, here are a few things you can get at Rikuro’s to go with your cheesecake.
Their roll cakes are popular thanks to the tasty castella cake and tasty cream from Hokkaido milk that make up the cake. Their pudding is also a tasty Japanese style pudding made from Hokkaido’s famous dairy. Their apple pie and their cheese bouchée are also very popular and taste so good.
If you want a more traditional Japanese treat, Rikuro’s Shop carries a chestnut dorayaki, with plenty of Hokkaido sweet red beans sandwiched in castella pancakes with tasty chestnut in the middle. They also have “Western-style” sweets, including delicious strawberry banana cakes and strawberry banana pudding cakes. Their choux cream puffs are also packed with tasty custard cream.
Would you try Rikuro’s jiggly cheesecake or would you rather try some of the other menu items? Let us know in the comments!
1 comment
I would like to take out a franchise with your brand. Fabulous