Fatty Tuesday: Uncle Tetsu

It's been a while so I thought I'd bring back Fatty Tuesday with Uncle Tetsu. Let me explain. Mike and I were having a casual dinner one evening in a nearby food court (quick travel tip: if you're in a major Asian city and have trouble finding a place to eat, go to the top or bottom floor of the closest mall; you're likely to find some decent options). As we made our way out and back home, we noticed a long line of people, waiting patiently for some kind of cake. This is what we saw:

All we knew was that thing cost RMB39 ($6.50); Uncle Tetsu was a cute, short and stumpy little guy (see upper right-hand corner of the second image); and his employee's t-shirt matched his apron (bottom left). 

So what was this glorious dessert that attracted so many individuals? What kind of cake could induce such patience in a characteristically impatient people? Obviously, we got in line to find out. 

Cakes were doled out about a dozen at a time, fresh out of the oven (hence the waiting). As soon as I got a fork, I took a bite of what was the perfect marriage between a cheesecake and an angel food cake -- light and fluffy, sweet and airy, with just the faintest aftertaste of traditional cheesecake. Usually, the only thing I like about cheesecake is the graham cracker crust, and even though it was crustless, I enjoyed Uncle Tetsu's delight. Will I wait in another 30-minute line for it? Probably not. But the experience was fun.