Joan L.
Yelp
Excellent egg tarts. Easily my favorite spot to get them.
During my first visit, the worker at the front was helpful in explaining the difference between their two tarts; the Portuguese-style (po-tart) is a mix of egg and cream in their custard, while the classic egg tarts are more egg-forward. The po-tarts are a tiny bit pricier, but it really comes down to preference in taste.
What I ordered:
-Egg tart:
Absolutely perfect. They come out warm and flakey. You get the butteriness from the crust and enough egg flavor in the custard which I definitely appreciated as some spots lack this note. It's smooth and delicate and just hits the spot. Still great warmed up in the air fryer, but nothing beats enjoying it immediately in the parking lot haha.
-Po-tart:
It's hard to tell if I like these more or the regular egg tart because they are both so good. Like the employee mentioned, these are a little less egg-forward and more creamy (the center is more white when you bite into it). The consensus among my family, however, is that these are the winner.
-Spiral Taro Pastry:
Really enjoyed these however the exterior is more of a soft flakey rather than a crispy/crunchy pastry the way egg tarts and croissants are. I don't mind but if you are looking for the crispy exterior, this one is a little different. Plenty of taro filling, not too sweet, and much more moist than other spots I've tried. They are also a tad larger than I've seen at some other bakeries so that is a plus but I would split it in half and enjoy it as two servings because the filling can get a little heavy all at once.
Parking and the shop:
This bakery is located in the same plaza as NBC seafood/dim sum and LA Fitness in Monterey Park. The front face of the shop is a bit awkward because you need to walk directly across the entrance to the plaza where all the cars are entering if you happen to park on the NBC side.
The shop itself is small, however, I have never encountered a line longer than maybe 3 people on all the times I have visited (both weekdays and weekend). They have a selection of non-refrigerated baked goods such as buns, cookies, and breads. Their cold glass case has the various cakes they offer like mango cake and cream roll, both full sized and smaller portions/slices. Then, they have a small hot case where they have the egg and po tarts as well as some savory pastries that look like empanadas.
*Do bring cash if you don't plan on making a large purchase. They require a $16 minimum if you want to use card!!!
*Also the boxes that hold your pastries are awful. The lid is connected to the sides so it forces you to pull the entire thing open, which makes the side connecting tabs looser so they no longer hold well once you attempt to close the box. If I had any critiques for the bakery, it's that they need to get a different box/packaging design.
Overall: Excellent pastries. Already thinking about my next visits!