Signature Egg Tarts

Signature Egg Tarts

　　In the bustling Wujiaochang area, the Portuguese tea restaurant on the 5th floor of Oriental Plaza stands out for its understated charm — you might not even notice it without a friend’s recommendation.

As the name suggests, this tea restaurant specializes in Macanese-Portuguese flavors. The interior of the restaurant is curved, with tables arranged along the arc. Through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, you can also enjoy a great view of the bustling traffic in Wujiaochang.

On a weekday afternoon, the whole place feels rather quiet, with just a few scattered tables of guests. Some are working on their laptops — upon asking the staff, I learned that Wi-Fi is available. As soon as we sat down, the server brought complimentary tea. The tables are covered with green-and-white checkered cloths, which are changed after every guest, giving off the vibe of a traditional teahouse from a decade ago.

Their Macanese iced milk tea, char siu puff pastry, and tiramisu are also quite popular. There’s a promotion for afternoon tea: drinks are only 9.9 RMB per cup, with free refills, and all small snacks are half price, making it quite a good deal. They only offer one type of egg tart here, called the “Signature Egg Tart,” priced at 5 RMB each — not exactly cheap. The first thing to look at in an egg tart is the puff pastry layer: here, it forms a bowl-like shape, with the layers not distinctly separated. A gentle pinch causes it to deform easily. The crimps around the edge are uniformly made, giving it a decent appearance. Then there’s the most enticing part — the egg custard in the center — with its shiny golden color, perfectly baked, and with just the right amount of caramelization that makes your mouth water. Also worth mentioning is that a hint of black pepper is sprinkled on top. Eagerly taking a bite, the crispness of the puff pastry seems a bit lacking, but it’s not sticky. The egg custard has a great texture — the moisture and smoothness are just right. The milk flavor is a bit strong, almost masking the taste of the eggs. Compared to other egg tarts, the sweetness here is moderate, without being overly sugary. However, since the egg tarts arrive slightly cooled, both the taste and appearance are somewhat compromised. Overall, these egg tarts leave a good impression, and considering the ambiance of the shop, the price of 5 RMB each still feels quite worthwhile.