Where to Find a Good Tres Leches Cake?

[Snoop37]

I've been craving this cake recently and I have no idea which, if any, Mexican restaurants offer a good slice. When done right, I think this is the only type of cake I enjoy... I'm not a big cake fan.
Thanks in advance!

[lophius]

I just want to give a big "YES" for Lorena's in Revere. My wife and I were looking to serve a tres leches cake for a party this past Saturday. We saw the post for Lorena's, and even though it's a bit far (we're in Waltham), we thought we'd give it a try. What a find!!!

The place is, indeed, quite tiny - just enough room in front to stand by the counter. But, don't let that fool you! Lorena was very pleasant, and after trying a small cake ($10, easily serves 8+) to test it out, we were immediately sold. We ordered a cake large enough for 70 for $85 (BTW, a cake for 50 goes for $65).

The cake is wonderful! It is moist, yummy, and has an icing that is more like a light whipped cream than the typical sickly sweet frosting you find on some cakes. Lorena does a wonderful job decorating her cakes - I forgot to take a photo, but if I can get one from a guest, I'll post it here.

A plus - unlike some tres leches I've had, Lorena's had the perfect (IMHO) level of sweetness - many guests went back for seconds, or more!

My only "minor" complaint is that the very center of this VERY large cake was a bit overly moist - sort of fell apart as we were slicing it. But, the guests didn't seem to mind - they loved the flavor and the novelty (for many) of this great cake! And, fortunately, we had some left over to take home for ourselves! We'll definitely go back for more at Lorena's! :-)

[catsmeow]

Do you know what their hours are? I've been by there 3 times in the last few months and they were closed all 3 times. I thought it was odd since they were all in the middle of the day.

[Deelicious47]

Had a slice of tres leche heaven at Chez Henri a few weeks ago. Do it.

[Spenbald]

When this thread started a few weeks ago, I was anxious to have my first tres leches cake, and I knew Taqueria El Amigo almost always has it on their menu. So I ordered it with the rest of our takeout, and was dismayed to see them haul out a pre-packaged cake. And while it was undeniably tasty, I'm sure it doesn't hold up to some you have mentioned.

[capeanne]

Had it at Chez Henri last night and it was magnificent

[Snoop37]

For some reason, this past week I just keep hearing about Chez Henri all over the place and how good it is. The fact that they have tres leches might have just sealed the deal for me. I think I'll eat dinner at the bar some point this week(end).

[capeanne]

We shared 5 apps for dinner : clam fritters, duck tamale, cavatelli with game bird ragu, chorizo with scallion mashed potatoes and chicken empanadas along with said cake and left totally satisfied

[pollystyrene]

Snoop, I agree that the Tres Leches cake at Green Street isn't great. I did think it was good, but, like you, found the cake itself a bit bland. The highlight of the dish was the toasted coconut.

I didn't know Chez Henri had one on the menu. Please report back if you try it. Cake and a Periodista sounds like a perfect, well-balanced meal.

[Snoop37]

I intend to try all the suggestions given to me so far and I'll definitely be sure to report back with each of them. An exception might be Lorena's, however. Revere is kind of out there for me.

[Prav]

I like your enthusiasm. :)

[Bob Dobalina]

I hear that Taqueria Mexico on Charles Street in Waltham has a great tres leches cake.

[sox_foodie]

Second that! Tres Leches is so good! It's become something of a cult calling. There's nothing better than Tres Leches at Taq with some good friends.

[galangatron]

the newly opened lorena's and leches cakes in revere seems to specialize in tres leches birthday cake. $10 for a small and $14 for a large

el buen gusto in east boston makes a nice slice of tres leches cake and el paisa in orient heights makes a really good tres leches flan

[StriperGuy]

Where is Lorena's?

[galangatron]

375 broadway
revere, ma 02151
[phone]

[catsmeow]

Last week, I happened to be in the area and went to try Lorena's. It was about 2:00 in the afternoon, and they were closed. There weren't any hours posted, and when I looked in, it was a very tiny shop(approx 10x12) with what looked like party supplies and odds and ends. I didn't see any bakery cases.

[galangatron]

they keep the cakes in the back

[catsmeow]

What are their hours? Have you tried their cakes? Thanks

[galangatron]

i don't know the hours. i've only been there once. the woman behind the counter said they make tres leches cakes for all occasions and got one from the back to show me. it was a small, round, tres leches birthday cake with red and white colored frosting. $10 for a small and $14 for a large

[catsmeow]

Did you try it?

[galangatron]

no

[katrinkala]

I remember having it once at Sol Azteca, and I remember it being pretty good.. I don't know if it's better than the other places mentioned, but it's easy to get to, and Dining In delivers for them, so you could in theory have some show up at your door within an hour or so. Maybe not on Tuesday, though, I can't remember how late they're open.

[StriperGuy]

I've even had desserts with cuatro leches and cinco leches at Dominican places in NYC. They were more flan like then cake like.

I bet some of the Dominican places in Lynn that I have posted about would have some of these.

[Prav]

Cuatro y cinco leches? That sounds amazing. Milk levels one-upping each other, sorta like the razorblade wars!

[catsmeow]

I never had it before and got a slice at WF. I don't usually like their baked goods but this was good. Having never had it before, I don't know how it compares to other Tres Leche cakes.

[Snoop37]

is that the name of the place... WF? or does that stand for something?

[catsmeow]

Sorry...Whole Foods

[Snoop37]

ooooo okay. I'm new-ish I still havent picked up on abbrev

[capeanne]

second Green Street

[chucktownlady]

Hi Snoop. You should consider making it yourself. The Chow recipe is amazing, and so easy! I made it for Easter last year and then had a request to bring this cake to a friend's birthday party. People at the party RAVED over this cake so much that it was almost embarrassing.

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10649?tag...

If you're not up for baking, Tito's Bakery in Chelsea makes tres leches and sells some by the slice (or you can order a whole one). Not sure if they include the rum or not.

[Snoop37]

I'm saving that recipe for when I get home- thank you very much . The oven in my college dorm room isnt very reliable haha

[Prav]

I loooooooove the slice at the Dominican restaurant on Blue Hill, called Merengue.

[Snoop37]

So I took Prav's recommendation and went to Merengue today and I got a slice of the Tres Leches and WOW. It was absolutely perfect. For the last ten years my family and i have been traveling to different parts of Mexico during Winter vacation and this cake tasted very much like the ones I get in Mexico. It was perfectly moist, milky, and melted in my mouth. My boyfriend and I devoured it in under one minute. It was truly delicious and thank you so much for the recommendation. I'm still set on trying some of the other cakes listed here so I'll post as I try them.

[kimfair1]

It's not a Mexican polace, but I had a tremendous Tres Leches cake at Green St in Cambridge.

[teaTomE]

Green Street!!!
Wednesday is Taco night.

i've attached a photo of the sublime Tres Leches cake.

[Snoop37]

I went to Green Street tonight and had the tres leches and unfortunately it was not up to par. Tres Leches is supposed to be a moist and spongy cake and the one I had tonight was somewhat hard and bland. The cake itself didn't have much taste... the taste came from the sauce that was splashed around it and the coconut shavings. Did I go on an off night or is this really what the cake is supposed to be like here? It looks like my quest for a good tres leches continues... I'll have to give Merengue a try now.

[Prav]

Yikes! That would leave me very disappointed.

I think you'll love Merengue based on your (accurate) expectation of a proper, juicy piece of TLC. :)

[Spenbald]

Went for taco night last week and had a very moist (and LARGE...easily shared by two) piece of tres leches cake. On the contrary, I didn't get much flavor from the coconut, but we made short work of it and thought it was delicious.