The wonderful thing about the maracuyá cheesecake ($5) at the Lemon Tree Restaurant (12591 Whittington, 281-556-0690) is the incredible juxtaposition of the mouth-puckering sourness of the thin, amber-colored maracuyá fruit glaze and the sweetness of the cheesecake. Maracuyá is a kind of South and Central American passion fruit that vaguely tastes of sour apricot. It’s also referred to as parcha or chinola, depending on which country you’re from. The cheesecake itself has a graham cracker crust and the consistency and color of a key lime pie. Consider yourself warned: This dessert can quickly become addictive.
This article appears in Feb 2-8, 2006.