Thanks for the writeup. If you want piping hot egg tarts, you should ask them about their baking schedule. Jim’s usually puts them out a little after 12 noon on Saturdays. I burned my mouth with some of their Macau-style egg tarts.
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Hi @Ns1,
That looks amazing! The glistening custard. I can imagine them piping hot and with a nice flaky crust. 
Lucky!
I think we liked Jim’s more, but only because we lucked out and got their Macau / Portuguese Egg Tarts almost out of the oven (still very warm almost hot). And they were so good.
If we had Kee Wah’s right out of the oven they might’ve been fantastic also.
I wish these places adopted Krispy Kreme’s Neon Light “Donut Signal” (when it’s lit up, you know there’s fresh donuts! 
).
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Hi @raytamsgv,
Thanks for the tip! When we asked our server (who spoke perfect English), she told us that there wasn’t a guaranteed time except first thing in the morning when they open, so we just showed up whenever we could.
But now we know (a little bit after 12 Noon on Saturdays), got it.
In addition, you can order ahead the morning before you pick up, and they will tell you the earliest time it’s ready. This also applies for non-egg tart items, they will hold/make it for you if you call the morning before.
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Update 1:
Capping off our ridiculously inexpensive lunch at Myung Ga, we decided to keep heading east, to get something fitting to end the meal with. 
Hot Soy Bean Pudding with Ginger Syrup - “Tofu Flower”:
V P Tofu’s Hot Soy Bean Pudding with Ginger Syrup was even better than our last visit! Soft, silky, and with a very nice Ginger Syrup, it reminded us of one of our favorite Desserts to order at Dim Sum. 
And this ample serving was only $1.50! 
Sweet Black Sesame Puree (+ Coconut Milk):
And we couldn’t leave without ordering one of their Sweet Black Sesame Puree Desserts (make sure you ask for them to add Coconut Milk), in honor of @paranoidgarliclover.
It was as fragrant, nutty and purely concentrated with Black Sesame, and not too sweet at all. I love the Coconut Milk addition as well, giving it a tropical tinge.
This is about twice the size of the Small Tofu Flower (Tofu Pudding) above, and it was only $3.25. Just a perfect way to end the day.
(Cash Only)
V P Tofu
237 S. Garfield Ave.
Monterey Park, CA 91754
Tel: (626) 572-9930
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Lawdy I gots to get me some of that douhwa!!! Thanks for the tip!
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Thanks for the shoutout! 
I was originally going to try to hit up V P Tofu after Happy Noodle, but then we ended up heading north to get our tamales. One day I will try it!!!
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Glad you got a chance to check out VP. Has been my go to for TFF.
Do you know their hours these days?? They’ve been closed my last few attempts.
It’s a crapshoot. But guarantee they take a few weeks off for Chinese New Years
Someone made a Facebook page, Twitter account, and website titled “Is Golden Gate Bakery Open Today?” LOL!
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Thanks for the link @jeetkunebao, a very valuable public service.
Btw check out Tai Cheong if you’re ever in HK. Best egg tarts I’ve encountered.
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gotta do both with Tai Cheong AND Honolulu Cafe.
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+1 Tai Cheong, particularly the main branch on Lyndhurst Terrace in Central
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Can anyone comment on the San Gabriel versions of Portuguese-style Egg Tart vs Sherman Oaks’ Natas Portuguese Bakery’s Pastel de Nata vs the original 1837’s Pasteis de Belem Home | Pastéis de Belém?
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The Natas at pasteis be delem are really really delicious. They are super custardy, creamy, and soft but still carmelized and the crust is very flaky almost croissant like in texture. The line can be really annoying at that place to order because its always so busy due to the hungry crowd of tourists (like me) who go there and order pastries. If you’re ever in lisbon if you dont want to make the trek out to Pasteis de Belem there’s a place called Manteigaria which I thought was equally good and more centrally located.
Nata’s natas in sherman oaks are similar but not nearly as good in all departments. Not as custardy, not as carmelized, and the crust not as flaky and I think slightly sweeter than the natas in lisbon. I’ve also never had them fresh out of the oven or still warm like I did in Lisbon so that may factor into the taste. (I always bring my natas home and reheat them)
I haven’t found a place in SGV that makes good portuguese style egg tarts. I’ve had them at Keewah and the filing was harder and the crust was not nearly as good.
I also had ones at splendid bakery and it was terrible super hard and crust had been soaked through by oil (i had to toast it forever for it to try out. I think its the disposable aluminum tins they use. Definitely would avoid.
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Tai Cheong is more well known for cookie crust egg tarts.But they are still a chain.
For puff pastry egg tarts, Honolulu Cafe (a chain) is highly raved in tour guidebooks but to me they were rather disappointing even 15+ years back when I first tried it.
Locals love Hoover Bakery in Kowloon, not just for their 64 layers in a puff pastry egg tarts and old style HK pastries, but supposedly the best chance to catch local celeb Chow Yun Fat as the area is his favorite stomping grounds. If you are lucky he will do selfies with you.
http://rt009211.pixnet.net/blog/post/64317811-【香港九龍城】豪華餅店-發哥最愛美味蛋塔-
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The savory dofu shouldn’t be overlooked at V P either. Their fried tofu with wild fungus is outstanding. Likewise, I’ve heard good things about their lemongrass tofu, but I don’t know first hand as I always get the wild fungus version.
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64 thin layers to the egg custard tart, ?
Yup.
This article backs up the 64 (in Chinese)
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/supplement/food/art/20130521/18265953
But they also report that Kam Wah (also famous for HK style pineapple bun, in fact more famous for that), says their egg tart puff pastry crust has 120 to 144 layers (they are reporting 144).
My money’s on Hoover though, as are the locals.
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