At 9:45 this morning, my daughter and I found ourselves in Junior’s Restaurant taking shelter from the rain. We were  waiting for the Fulton Galleria Mall, which is next door, to open at 10 a.m. On a mission to buy a Tamogotchi, a wrist watch sized virtual pet that my daughter has been pining for, we were up and out early. I ordered a cup of coffee,  my daughter declined to eat — so we stood in Junior’s taking in the ambiance.

A visit to Juniors is a brush with Brooklyn history. The walls are covered with old photographs and the bakery display cases are filled with with a colorful multiplicity of desserts. The Baskin-Robbins of cheesecake, Junior’s offers quite a selection:  Plain, Chocolate Mountain, Cherry Crumb, Brownie Marble Swirl, Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Swirl (pictured), Black Forest, Raspberry Swirl, and Sugar Free Low Carb.

The restaurant , with it’s bright orange and white striped decor, is enormous and serves a diverse cross section of the people who make up the 4th largest city in America. The menu is a big glossy affair – a selection of Jewish delicacies, diner favorites, and multi-ethnic entrees.

Junior’s is a throw back to another Brooklyn: the Brooklyn of the Dodgers, the cyclone, the parachute jump. Yet, it is a Brooklyn that still resonates with us – not just nostalgically but symbolically. The borough of ambition, of community, of diversity, of creativity, of  spirit. That borough spirit is a mysterious thing  – but it overtakes people and makes them feel proud to be part of this place.

Like Brooklyn, Junior’s can be a joyous place. And their website, I discovered, is the source for cheesecake on-line and find out some interesting Brooklyn facts like…

In 1900: Brooklyn candy store owner Louis Auster invents the Egg Cream. Any relation to Paul Auster?

In 1928: The Cyclone roller coaster opens on Coney Island

In 1941: The Parachute Jump moves from the Lifesaver’s Exhibit at New York World’s Fair to Coney Island.

1950: Junior owner, Harry Rosen, perfects his famous cheese cake recipe.

1955: The Dodger’s win the World Series.

1957: The Dodger’s last season before they move to Los Angeles.

1970’s: Junior’s cheese cake voted Best Cheese cake in New York by New York Magazine. Crowds flock to Juniors.

1981: A fire blazes through Junior’s and customers line the sidewalks crying, ?Save the cheesecake!? The badly damaged restaurant closes for nine months.

1982: Junior’s Re-opens.

1983: The Brooklyn Bridge Centennial Celebration.

1993: Presidential nominee Bill Clinton takes a detour from his campaign trail to visit Junior’s and taste the cheesecake. 

I can’t believe I only ordered a cup of coffee. My daughter was eager to get to Toys-R-Us to pick up the Tomogotchi I promised her. She better make sure that her little animated gnome is taken care of properly. Otherwise he’ll die and we’ll have a Tomogotchi funeral on our hands.

The coffee was quite good. I can’t believe we didn’t get something to-go. A cheese cake or something.