Tart to Tart
We give our verdict on the most popular egg tart shops in the city
Although the ubiquitous egg tart (Cantonese: daan tat) is not exactly the most original pastry we can claim on our streets (its origins are supposedly based on English custard tarts, which have flourished since the Middle Ages), Hong Kong’s bakeries, dim sum venues and cha chaan tengs have long adopted the modest-looking dessert as one of their own, with the restaurants often serving them alongside cups of sweetened coffee or Hong Kong-style tea as an afternoon snack ritual. Each place has its own distinct recipe, but the basic elements remain the same: a shallow pastry outer shell—typically shortbread-based—filled with a yellow egg-based custard.
By the 1990s, more than 50 years after the first egg tarts went mainstream, a Portugal-inspired caramelized version with a flaky crust (Cantonese: po tat) became wildly popular in Asia, especially throughout Macau, where Lord Stow’s original “Portuguese-style” egg tart shops (set up in 1989) helped start the craze (the famous bakery has since set up branches across Asia, including one in Hong Kong). Variations of the same theme (egg white-based, milk-based, chocolate-flavored tarts) are also seen in pastry shops today.
The ubiquitous egg tarts really aren’t hard to find, being a staple item of many Chinese bakeries and restaurants. Some shops have become famous over the years for the irresistible tarts that they carry. But are they all worth the hype? We decided to find out by visiting some of the most famous shops in town and laying down the final verdict.
Tai Cheong Bakery
Various shops, including G/F, 35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2544-3475
The original Tai Cheong Bakery in Central was one of Hong Kong ex-governor Chris Patten’s favorites; he loved the shortbread-encrusted egg tarts sold here and his patronage definitely helped catapult the humble shop into the limelight. The bakery has since been incorporated under F&B conglomerate Tao Heung, with more than 15 shops spread across the city, with its flagship shop in Central relocated to 35 Lyndhurst Terrace. Tourists flock daily to take pictures of the store and sample the buttery almond-flour-based crust.
Custard color: bright yellow, almost neon
Crust: shortbread style, crumbly
Description: Served lukewarm or at room temperature, the crust is buttery, crunchy and sturdy, made from an inconsistently textured batter with a heavy buttery aftertaste. We’re not crazy about the color of the custard, as it looks a bit too bright and borderline artificial, but it complements the crust well and tastes light and pleasantly mild in contrast.
Verdict: ★★★★
Honolulu Coffee Shop
Various shops, including 33 Stanley St., Central, 2526-8063
This old-school cha chaan teng with branches in Wan Chai and as far out as Tseung Kwan O is a favorite with locals and tourists all over the blogosphere. The Central shop has a breakout pastry section outside that shows off its egg tarts and breads in clear glass displays, consistently luring passersby hungry for a snack. Patrons who show up for a meal usually order the egg tart as a side snack to be downed with a cup of Hong Kong-style tea. Honolulu’s Wan Chai shop is also much raved about.
Custard color: strong golden yellow
Crust: flaky, fluffy
Description: Served warmish, the crust is very flaky, ever-so-slightly-burnt, buttery, and flakes off quite easily. There are many layers to the crust but they are all stuck and clumped together. The custard is sweet, soft and is a much paler yellow below the strong golden surface. The flavor is slightly eggy. We do enjoy it, but do not see what is so special about the tart.
Verdict: ★★★
Lord Stow’s Bakery
G/F, The Excelsior Hong Kong, 281 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay, 2894-8888
Following the “po tat” craze that swept through Asia in the 1990s, Lord Stow’s Bakery—first opened in Macau by English gentleman Andrew Stow—expanded into Hong Kong with a shop at The Excelsior Hotel in 1997. The custard on these tarts are burnt on the top, producing a caramelized effect not unlike that of another similar dessert: the crème brulee. The crusts are also characteristically flaky and layered.
Color: deep yellow with generous brown specks
Crust: flaky, soft, buttery
Description: Served warm to very warm, the tarts melt in one’s mouth and the flaky crust and mushy, creamy custard combination are a win-win. The custard is sweet and especially sugary on the surface, and the crust is right on the border between just right and overly heavy.
Verdict: ★★★★
