Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
When I was in Portugal last year, I had at least one (sometimes two) egg tarts a day. It’s just what you did. They were sweet, creamy satisfying yellow tarts with a crisp pastry shell and a browned top layer. And they’re a ubiquitous pastry on the Iberian penninsula.
The Portuguese love them so much that they brought them to their colony of Macau and the tarts quickly spread to Hong Kong and the mainland. Now you’ll find them just as often in certain parts of China and Chinatowns as you would in Portugal itself.
So after spending a day hard at work devouring soup dumplings in Flushing (Queens’ Chinatown), I wanted a little something sweet as a reward. The most popular (and convenient) place for a few tarts is New Flushng Bakery. It’s located right next to the entrance to the subway station.
I was planning on having one of their Portuguese tarts or perhaps their Hong Kong cousins (not bruleed on top and a bit more of an eggy custard), but I got distracted by their unusual flavors. There was an egg tart loaded with coconut, a green tea variety, and the one I ultimately couldn’t resist: coffee.
In my mind, there is no better flavor than coffee. I love it as ice cream, rubbed on beef, or just with some milk and sugar. And this little tart was no exception. The flaky and crisp puff pastry held together a sweet and pudding-like filling that was difficult to resist. Flavors of coffee and cream came through with just a hint of vanilla.
It might not be traditional, but it’s so delicious. In Portugal, it is customary to enjoy one of the egg tarts with an espresso. Here, they take both flavors and make it into one excellent little concoction – the perfect treat for your subway ride back to Manhattan. Price: $1.50
| NEW FLUSHING BAKERY |
| 135-45 Roosevelt Avenue (at Main Street), Flushing, Queens (718) 539-6363 |
