In search of Hong Kong's best egg tart...you love egg tarts, we love egg tarts, who doesn't love egg tarts? Unless you have an egg allergy, then you probably don't love egg tarts as much as we do.
Egg tarts are most commonly seen in dim sum restaurants and Asian bakeries. They originated in Hong Kong in the early 1940s. Two varieties of egg tart crusts are typically used: a flaky puff pasty shell and a sweet shortbread crust. Then there is the Hong Kong adaption of the Portguese egg tart, evolving from "pastel de nata", a traditional Portuguese custard pastry that consists of a crème brûlée-like custard in a caramelized puff pastry case. The tart is served with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top. We sampled the original pastel de nata during our trip to Spain and Portugal last spring, at the legendary Pasteis de Belem. However, Lord Stowe's at the Excelsior Hotel in Hong Kong and in Macau remains my favorite rendition of the Portuguese egg tart to date.
1. Lord Stow's Bakery and Cafe
The egg tart tastes like it looks - a slightly harder cookie crust with a creamy custard inside. Our conclusion? Lord Stow's is still our favorite, albeit a Portuguese egg tart rather than a traditional HK egg tart. But for those of you needing an egg tart fix, our favorite egg tart still resides in San Francisco, at the famous Golden Gate Bakery.
Egg tarts are most commonly seen in dim sum restaurants and Asian bakeries. They originated in Hong Kong in the early 1940s. Two varieties of egg tart crusts are typically used: a flaky puff pasty shell and a sweet shortbread crust. Then there is the Hong Kong adaption of the Portguese egg tart, evolving from "pastel de nata", a traditional Portuguese custard pastry that consists of a crème brûlée-like custard in a caramelized puff pastry case. The tart is served with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top. We sampled the original pastel de nata during our trip to Spain and Portugal last spring, at the legendary Pasteis de Belem. However, Lord Stowe's at the Excelsior Hotel in Hong Kong and in Macau remains my favorite rendition of the Portuguese egg tart to date.
1. Lord Stow's Bakery and Cafe
at EXpresso at the Excelsior Hong Kong
281 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
www.lordstow.com/
www.excelsiorhongkong.com
Our first meal in Hong Kong: a Lord Stow Portuguese egg tart and an illy latte. What more can you ask for? This tart wasn't quite as delicious as I remember, mostly because it didn't come out piping hot, straight from the oven like the last time. Regardless, it was still delicious with its crispy, flaky skin.
2. Tai Cheong Bakery
http://www.taoheung.com.hk/en/brands/tai_cheong_bakery/index.html
Various outposts throughout Hong Kong
Many people argue that Tai Cheong is the home of Hong Kong's best egg tart, including former HK governor Chris Patten. We found several blogs and newspaper articles praising this shortbread cookie-based egg tart and decided we couldn't leave HK without giving it a try. We walked about 30 minutes down the Avenue of the Stars and came across Tai Cheong at the pier/Tsim Sai Tsui MTR station.
281 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
www.lordstow.com/
www.excelsiorhongkong.com
Our first meal in Hong Kong: a Lord Stow Portuguese egg tart and an illy latte. What more can you ask for? This tart wasn't quite as delicious as I remember, mostly because it didn't come out piping hot, straight from the oven like the last time. Regardless, it was still delicious with its crispy, flaky skin.
2. Tai Cheong Bakery
http://www.taoheung.com.hk/en/brands/tai_cheong_bakery/index.html
Various outposts throughout Hong Kong
Many people argue that Tai Cheong is the home of Hong Kong's best egg tart, including former HK governor Chris Patten. We found several blogs and newspaper articles praising this shortbread cookie-based egg tart and decided we couldn't leave HK without giving it a try. We walked about 30 minutes down the Avenue of the Stars and came across Tai Cheong at the pier/Tsim Sai Tsui MTR station.
The egg tart tastes like it looks - a slightly harder cookie crust with a creamy custard inside. Our conclusion? Lord Stow's is still our favorite, albeit a Portuguese egg tart rather than a traditional HK egg tart. But for those of you needing an egg tart fix, our favorite egg tart still resides in San Francisco, at the famous Golden Gate Bakery.
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