1.) Mandarin Oriental Shop

B115. G/F, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd., Bangkok, 02-610-9845. BTS Siam. Open daily 10am-10pm
The winner of this dessert-war is the offering from the Mandarin Oriental Shop. For starters, it looks very pretty, more of a circular tart than the standard slice. The cake itself is perfectly silky with a nicely whipped cream cheese, super fresh blueberries and a flawless crust. All the tasters were in agreement that this is the hands-down winner.
Verdict: No wonder people get married at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, it must be for the cakes. Yum!

2.) Starbucks

B125. For a complete list of branches, visit www.starbucks.co.th

We admit to being mighty curious to see if the global coffee chain could handle this cake competition. While this cake, like many others at Starbucks, was actually made by Coffee Beans by Dao, you can’t necessarily tell. Here, it’s a little like their coffee: satisfying enough but not exactly mind blowing. The cream cheese is smooth and the slight sourness goes well with the blueberry texture. However, the crust is a bit salty and soggy, letting down the rest of the cake.
Verdict: An OK taste but a bit soggy.

3.) Krua Dok Mai Khao

B105. 678/4-7 Bamrung Muang Rd., Bangkok, 02-225-2749. Open Mon-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sun 10am-10:30pm

You don’t need to have taken one of their cooking classes to realize that this cheesecake is not good. The filling smells (and tastes) slightly stale while the biscuit is a bit soggy. Even though we like the nice, fluffy texture of the cream cheese it just feels a little bland and dull.
Verdict: Where’s the cheese?

4.) Coffee Beans by Dao

B140. G/F, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd., Bangkok, 02-610-9702-3. www.coffeebeans.co.th. BTS Siam. Open daily 10am-10pm
Quite similar to the Whittard’s one, the slightly sour blueberry jam and the excessive cream simply drown out the flavor of the cream cheese. The only good thing is the taste and texture of the crust but it’s not enough to save it.
Verdict: Fails to build on a solid base.

5.) After You

B105. Try G/F, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd., Bangkok, 02-610-7659. www.afteryoudessertcafe.com. BTS Siam. Open daily 10am-10pm
This popular dessert café is clearly an expert on making honey toast but their cheesecake is an odd affair. The smell and texture is OK, if a little bland, but it is all overpowered by the overriding flavor of the overly-buttery and oily crust.
Verdict: Stick to what they do best.

6.) Whittard of Chelsea

B150. G/F, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd., Bangkok, 02-610-7519. BTS Siam. Open daily 10am-10pm
Considering they pitch themselves as a high-end café, the colors of the cheese and the cream look remarkably pedestrian. Unfortunately, the disappointments continue with the flavor; the whole thing tastes plain wrong—with the cream cheese heavy, thick and very insipid and the whipped cream just as unpleasant. Plus, it’s the most expensive one.
Verdict: Really cheesed off.