The Vegas Cheesecake That Looks Like An Ear Of Corn
Some dishes are not what they seem. Take chef Cédric Grolet's pastries: decadent desserts that appear to be one ingredient but are actually something else — a modern example of trompe l'œil, an art technique that was first used in ancient Greece. Back then, one painter reportedly portrayed grapes in such a lifelike way that birds would try to pluck the murals, per the Royal Academy of Arts. This kind of artistic deception has made its way into the culinary world, and one dessert served at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas has guests equally delighted and surprised.
Run by chef Lorena Garcia of "Top Chef Masters" fame, Chica, which includes a cocktail bar as well as a lounge and a ceviche bar, is situated in the resort's Restaurant Row (via Gayot). The restaurant is the first on the Las Vegas Strip to be run by a Latina chef, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas notes, and recipes taken from Garcia's own upbringing are served with a modern edge, like the Baby Back Ribs "Al Pastor" served under a glass dome or the dessert known simply as The Corn.
Is it cake?
The Corn served at Chica is one of the most exciting treats in Las Vegas, according to VegasStarfish. As the vlogger explains, the dessert is composed of a cheesecake-flan mixture — with a piped layer of strawberry sauce inside — in a corn-shaped mold. This is left to harden in the freezer until the mixture is set in the shape of an ear of corn.
Once the treat is removed from the casing, it is spray-painted with colored cocoa butter, plated with a crumble made from graham crackers and chili, topped with white chocolate shavings, and finished with streaks of raspberry Tajín to produce a sweet creation that resembles the kind of corn you see sold by street vendors. Priced at $15, per Chica, The Corn has made the rounds on TikTok.
If you can't make it to Vegas, the Miami location of Chica also offers The Corn.