Sha-Tin Buddies offered an authentic Hong Kong experience with its food and decor. Although the prices here were slightly higher than other similar Hong Kong style restaurants(茶餐廳) nearby, it attracted locals and tourists like myself because of the quality of its food and its rather spacious interiors that enabled us to comfortably enter with our stroller.
We arrived in the afternoon just in time for their signature fresh-out-of-the-oven egg custard tart (蛋撻). We ordered one regular ($7 HKD) and one in pandan flavor ($10 HKD). In my opinion, you are better off saving those 3 bucks and stick with the regular because the regular egg custard tart was simply divine! Never had I tried an egg custard tart with such a perfect balance of custard bursting with the taste of fresh egg along with a buttery crust that's flaky yet firm enough to not fall apart after the first bite.
We also ordered a lunch combo with a bowl of instant noodle served in a tomato broth with pork, a buttered toast, an egg omelet with black truffle on top. Instant noodle is a classic dish at typical Hong Kong style restaurants but the tomato broth that was sweet and a bit tangy took this humble dish to another level. On the other hand, the black truffle omelet was simply gimmicky and the "butter" on the toast tasted like margarine, which my sister-in-law already warned us. As a part of the combo, the meal also came with a silky milk tea that I thoroughly enjoyed sip after sip.
If I am ever in the area again, I will probably stop by to order some egg custard tarts to go. read more