Best Egg Tart Ever?

Try and start another fire by discussing the best egg tart ever? I'm from Ipoh (if you do not know that by now) and the dim sum places make pretty good tarts, be it Ming Kok or Fohsun. I even think the Tong Kee ones are pretty good, right up there with the best. When I was in Singapore, the ones at Tong Heng was an adequate substitute (better than nothing). Had the ones with the flaky pastry or fluff pastry and the other one with the butter flavoured shortcrust pastry. I prefer the flaky ones as it is "soong chooi" (loose bitey) and when you reach the wobbling creamy egg tart center, it gives a very good contrast.

I have also patronised Patten's favourite Tai Cheong Bakery's egg tarts in Central, HK, before and after they moved locations - they are pretty damn good too. A few steps away in Wellington Street is another place for very delicious egg tart as well, the Lok Heung Yuen - they come in tiny bite size. For this exercise, let's not talk about Portuguese tart - its a separate matter.

Hence, I always thought that such delicate stuff like egg tarts can only come from a dedicated kitchen, and never from a franchise. How wrong was I! For those who have visited The Pavillion KL, you may have walked past the silly sounding pastry place called John King, supposedly from HK and established since 1965. Am quite familiar with HK but I have never come across John King. But with such a weird sounding English name as a brand, it does resembles a HK invention (ala Kim Gary). They sell possibly the best ever egg tarts I have ever eaten. Some may say that their crust is a bit rich, hey, egg tarts should be an indulgence , not a health/diet food! Enjoy la.

Surprisingly, the butter shortbread pastry is even better than the flaky ones, and I thought I would never like the shortbread pastry types. Forget about the durian egg tart, its a lie and con job. Go for the original or the even-better seoung-pei lai egg tart (whitish egg tart, double-skin-milk egg tart).

Its a lot saying they possibly make the best egg tarts, especially having tried so many good ones in so many places. Is it better than sex???... well, you will be making the same noises and exclamations though - "OMG"! Go John King or whatever your name is, its the best thing that I can afford after shopping at The Pavillion!!!