Haha… I knew you were either going to say it or think it.
Never been to Natas Pastries, just imagining what I would do for fun!
About Natas vs Macau style, my understanding is that the Macau style got famous with Brit Andrew Stow setting up shop in Macau doing Portugese style egg tarts (operating as Lord Stow’s Bakery), established September 5, 1989 (who would then be recognized as the creator/founder of Macanese Portugese style egg tarts “po taaat” in January 2006 by Medalha de Mérito Turístic from the Governo da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau da República Popular da China). Sad part is that in October of that year Stow passed away from an asthma related attack at age 51. His ex wife post divorce would operate her own separate Macanese egg tart bakeries to much success, but that’s another story.
The Macanese style is a modifed recipe based on the original, and Andrew used British cream in the recipe and reduced the amount of sugar for the center filling. Perfect for visitors and tourists who want to do the bone in pork chop bun bang bang with the egg tart (amongst other delicious street foods).
This would be the equivalent of taking heavy and filling French pastries and applying Asian touches to them to cater to local tastes (that prefer less filling less sweet but just as satisfying and balanced).
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On a side note, another reason to visit Osaka’s Dotonbori area for their location of Lord Stow’s
Matcha po taat!
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Man, Osaka is food heaven!! Run out of fingers to keep track of the reasons to visit.
Surprised to see Lord Stow’s, no stomach room left to partake though. Mighty tempted by their “ice pie” though.
I was turned off by the char on the tarts at Koi Kei in Macao. In my ignorance, thought they were overdone, will have to try next time.
More familiar with the Hong Kong style.
Departed chef issues aside, Golden Gate Bakery still has the best for my taste. The product is always fresh and piping hot when you buy it, since they go from oven to counter to customer. Their vacation time is getting longer and longer and their actual operating days are getting shorter and shorter. Must be nice to have a business model like that.
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There’s good food all over Japan. The latest craze is going to Fukuoka/Hakata for food, since that area seems a bit less trampled on than Hokkaido and Osaka (latest news is that some spendy Mainlanders cleaned out some Hokkaido seafood shops inventory of their highest end dried sea cucumbers)
Agreed, despite the change in the puff pastry crust exterior which I still find decent, the center filling and the whole package is still very tasty to me. I disliked Hong Kong’s Honolulu Coffee Shop’s so called signature 64++ layer puff pastry egg tart when I had it 10++ years back despite every single guidebook written in Chinese raving about them, GGB ruined me. Just not enamored with the ramen-esque lines and rising prices. It is said the owners also own the land or unit, so they can afford vacations/closures. At this rate, seems like them selling egg tarts is more like a hobby on the side.
I have yet to try Kowloon City’s Hoover Bakery for their rendition though.
I vaguely remember some early 80s Hong Kong movie where the characters (wondering if it were Michael and Ricky Hui) were given an egg tarts and coffee, and being non Western cultured types, they poured some of the coffee on top of the egg tart and proceeded to eat them that way.
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@TheCookie I found the pastry a bit chewy at Natas, not memorable if memory serves me right.
@Google_gourmet did you try any Hokkaido Cheese Tarts? F*in awesome!!! Sorry going off topic.
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I hope you choke
/davidchang
In all seriousness, vastly preferred these over Tai Cheong, and it definitely smashes anything I’ve ever had in the states. Although to be fair, I’ve never had GGB.
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“Onion booty = so fine it makes you wanna cry”
Well no egg tart has done that yet, let alone choke me (to tears). I was thinking of Radiohead’s Exit Music when you quoted DC. But do try GGB SF if you can, and take a trip to the dark side.
I’m glad you enjoyed Honolulu, but it wasn’t earth shattering for me and the disappointment is greater as a result of the guide book hypes and some locals touting it as the best or most famous in HK (at that time). I’ll take Chow Yun Fat’s endorsement of Hoover and give them a spin next visit I’m there…
Just like Yi Shun Dairy Company’s steamed milk custards in Causeway Bay on Perceival Street, quite legendary in Macau as well…but somehow it didn’t work for me (same for Australia Dairy Company’s version in Jordan).
Tai Cheong’s egg tarts are cookie crust, different school (and they are the inventors of that style).
There may be a few dim sum bakeries in SF doing egg white tarts, though not the best execution but an interesting alternative.
Waiting for someone to do black sesame flavored tarts.
Some of the slightly better ever so slightly higher quality egg tarts I’ve had were from dim sum restaurants as mini egg tarts. The focus is more on the puff pastry layers than the custard, at least for the NorCal ones. Though still can’t beat GGB.
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Is Aussie Pie Kitchen in SaMo still open? If so, I thought it blew Garlo’s away. It is, however, more expensive, too (IIRC).
Back to the regularly scheduled thread…
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Yeah, that was cool.
I get it. It’s why we shouldn’t be too too hung up on authenticity. Cultural exploitation for money is one thing. But you can create something to satisfy local tastes where it becomes its own thing and is delicious.
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Haha… I wish I could remember more details. It was a while ago.
Good post!
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Yeah Garlo’s was nothing special. Bronzed Aussie has a great pie pastry developed by …
“An Australian born & raised, Michelin star trained chef who won the Greencard Lottery answered my ad on Craigslist, recipes were created and the pie shop was born…”
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You’re a crack-up.
Sweet!
Good meat pies but I was actually recommending their egg custard tarts.
Hi @ipsedixit,
Ooh! Australian Egg Tarts?! I had no idea. 
How are they different from HK / Macau / Portuguese versions? Thanks.
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I figured that. I got a little excited about the meat pies.