But now, at the Tasting Room in the East Village, there is a creamy white slice that looks like a large marshmallow cut into a wedge. It stands tall and tidy with a thin sturdy crust and an air of perfection, And for that, it almost seems French. Read more . The cheesecake is tangy, clean-tasting and more like a lemon tart in weight. But it's not at all austere. Hints of vanilla seep into the picture and after a few bites, so does an extended, creamy finish. The secret lies in the technique: cream cheese is folded into a meringue rather than whole eggs, so that once baked it becomes a kind of cream cheese soufflé. For a delicate touch, a thin layer of sweetened sour cream is spread over the cake just before it has finished baking. Colin Alevras, the chef, tweaked his mother-in-law's recipe. Instead of a graham cracker crust, he uses ground almonds or, sometimes, sesame seeds. You could also use pecans or hazelnuts. Mr. Alevras serves the cake with dried apricots poached in a sweet white wine and cherries in port, and dusts the top with bee pollen, which gives a super-sweet floral touch. These are thoughtful extras, but distractions. ...