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You must think I'm a freak for giving all the egg tart bakeries on Hong Kong Island perfect scores. Well yea, I can be a freak lol, but in this case it's all the bakeries "so far", not all were exceptional, but damn most are!
Tai Cheong Bakery is the OG of bakeries on my list. Established in 1954 here on Lyndhurst Terrace, Tai Cheong Bakery is a legendary Hong Kong bakery famed for pioneering cookie-crust egg tarts. Known as a favorite of the last British Governor, Chris Patten, it is considered a must-visit for warm, buttery egg tarts, along with their signature Sha Weng (Chinese donuts).
Bakehouse and Hashtag B Bakeries are the innovative ones that turned the "egg tart wars" upside down with modern recipes and Michelin baby followers lol. On the other side you have Tai Cheong Bakery that has been using the same recipe for 72 years. All amazing bakeries yet something in my heart will always favor the originals. On my visit I arrived about 10 minutes before opening and was second in line. For the 10 minutes I chatted with the sweet Korean lady who was there for the same reason as me... original egg tarts!
There's a menu sign posted outside - lucky for those waiting in line because it's a photo menu with Chinese, Japanese, Korean and English translation. Once the doors opened I was second in line and the line of about a dozen formed behind me. Auntie greeted me in English and I ordered the following: Egg Tart (Cookie Crust) 12 HK$ x2, Puff Pastry Egg Tart 12 HK$, Milk Protein Egg Tart 15 HK$, BBQ Pork Pastry 7 HK$ x2. I actually wanted the Coconut Egg Tart, but oddly I ended up with eh Milk Protein Egg Tart. Ok, still ate it!
Ambiance can be described as a good chi bakery, and apparently this is the original location from 1954, if so it was really clean and inviting. I didn't see a sit-down area tho. Everything I had delicious, yes including the Milk Protein Egg Tart I didn't order lol. The traditional Egg Tart (Cookie Crust) amazing with flaky crust and tasty filling expected from only the best Dan Tat!
In the end, Tai Cheong Bakery is a must for egg tart fanatics. In fact, the menu was diverse enough to walk out with no egg tarts and still be happy as a clam. I heard the buns here are delicious. My only regret was not having a second visit, but it's only because it's located in Central and I was staying in Causeway Bay. Next time I'll jump on the Ding Ding for a second visit! Out of all the "traditional" bakeries this was tops!
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