So I like my Darn Tart / Egg Darts. I decided that I would go to some of the places that have been recommended and see for myself which one I prefer and why. I went to four bakeries all on Hong Kong side; Tai Cheong Bakery, Happy Cake Shop, Kam Fung Restaurant and Honolulu Coffee Shop. Each of them is different, but the same, and each being a good Darn Tart in their own right.
Tai Cheong Bakery: I had high expectations for this Darn Tart and maybe I had too high of an expectation. It had a really nice pastry, which was more biscuit/ short pastry-based and kept its shape when you bit into it. A really nice filling and was served warm.
Happy Cake Shop: Really nice filling and firm darn treat. The pastry is fluffy but firm with some element of short pastry. Real glossy top but did slightly crumble in your hands.
Kam Fong Restaurant: A really good Darn Tart but harder to eat as it just crumbles in your hands. The pastry is very flimsy and feels you have to really eat it fast so it doesn’t fall apart.
Honolulu Coffee Shop: A different pastry to the other three. It was flakey pastry and it was crisp and had a bit of a crunch from it from caramelised sugar. The filling was good but maybe the ugliest of them all, but tasted really good.
Overall winner I think would have to be Tai Cheong Bakery for the Darn Tart followed by Honolulu. Kam Fund just didn’t do it for me because it fell apart while I was eating it.
I also decided to do a Pineapple Bun comparison as I really like these. They are different from the versions you get back home because they are much bigger and they don’t put custard in them.
Tai Cheong Bakery: Don’t bother with this one. The crust didn’t even stick to the bun and you could only taste the bread.
Happy Cake Shop: Really good nice crisp top with good even presentation. Had a good flavour and not too sweet with an overall good size bull.
Kam Fong Restaurant: Ever so slightly undercooked but gave it a spongy texture which was really nice. The top was nice and sweet with a good crunch, but you could tell there was more sugar in the mixture.
Honolulu Coffee Shop: Didn’t look all that good but really liked the topping which was flavoursome and sweet. The bun was really high and a bit hard to eat unless you flatten it and then the crumbs fall off.
Overall, I think Honolulu took this one out. Good flavour and would be nice to add butter in the bun, which you do at breakfast time and it wouldn’t be too sweet.
Trencherman's Travels 