Street Eats: A Creative Take on Warm and Wobbly Egg Tarts at Uncle Fong

Our fair capital isn't exactly known as a dessert haven. Indeed, if you were to ask the average Beijinger on the street what an apple tart is, they’ll likely be stumped, but ask them about Portuguese egg tarts, and 99 percent are sure to be able to describe these small, yellow, and creamy pies in vivid detail. Yes, unlike most Western pastries, northern locals are familiar with these ubiquitous eggy desserts, in large part thanks to KFC having made them a fixture on their menu, taking cue from China's southern brethren in Hong Kong.

But forget about those generic, Col. Sanders-endorsed renditions. Things have moved a long way in the past two decades, as made particularly apparent by Guanghua Lu's Uncle Fong. Stocking six creative flavors – original, chocolate, sweet purple potato, coconut, and red bean – you can buy per piece for RMB 14-24 or RMB 42-51 for any combination of six. And the flavors are not the only element unlike the Portuguese-style tarts that we're accustomed to; Uncle Fong’s opts for a sturdy and cookie-like crust made simply from butter, flour, and sugar, rather than a flaky and puffy crust.

All tarts are served warm and boast rich, wobbly insides, with a buttery and somewhat thin crust. We found the original filling a bit dull, with a not-so-sweet-but-almost-solid egg custard gracing the center. The red bean flavor was notable for their legume crunch and make for a good option for anyone who is not overly keen on sugar. Our favorite, however, was the chocolate tart thanks to its oozy chocolate filling and a dusting of cocoa powder. Pro tip: hold each tart with both hands carefully, because if you squeeze the edge it’ll crack and fall on the ground. Don’t ask me how I know.

Aside from egg tarts, Uncle Fong's also offers original or matcha flavored egg puffs with ice cream, another welcome addition to their growing and creative local-twist takes on an old classics and one that we'll be munching on right through summer. 

Uncle Fong
Daily 10am-9pm. B1, The Place, 9 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District (5206 1020)
芳叔：朝阳区光华路9号世贸天阶南街B1层

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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
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Photos: Tracy Wang, Dianping