Egg Custard King Cafe

I first found this place after they advertised on the radio for buy a dozen, get a dozen egg tarts free. We were eating egg tarts for a week. Not very healthy.
Out of all the egg tart places in the city and in Flushing, I found Egg Custard to make it the way I like it. Puff pastry crust with creamy egg. Their Portuguese egg tart is good too.
Too bad they closed. I went here a couple months ago to buy a couple to bring home and I could not find them. Someone directed me to their sister store on Grand Street.

i am a big fan of the portuguese egg tarts. i dont know who else makes them AS GOOD AS THEY DO.
this place is good, and the coffee aint bad either.
i just wonder why they dont have the seating area anymore.

When this place opened up many moons ago, I knew I had to try it. So one day I bought a dozen mixed types of egg custards from egg white to almond and honeydew. Keepin it real — I was pretty dissappointed. With a name with «King» in it’s name, I had high expectations. The Honeydew was freaky as I tasted too much dew and not enough egg. The eggwhite was my favorite and I’m not generally a fan of the Portuguese version.

Hopping off the awful super-​shuttle (yes, I travel cheap, it allows me to eat expensive) into the heart of Chinatown with map in hand the first stop on my list was impromptu. Having tried an egg custard for the first time weeks ago in San Francisco and seeing myriad Chinese bakeries I stopped and asked a man (the first I passed who I heard speaking English) who had the best Custards and he said «you want Egg Custard King — Mott Street.» Pointing me in the right direction I was afraid I’d miss it due to the all-​Chinese signage, but thankfully the brightly colored restaurant stuck out like a sore thumb.
Entering the shop I was greeted by wonderful smells of sugar, butter, and yeast as well as multiple pastel colors — both on the wall and on the egg custards. Inquiring what the difference was it took three employees to understand my question and tell me that the colors were flavors — «regular, lime, strawberry, and coconut» are what I think I heard. At 90 cents each I asked for regular and a strawberry and made my way to the street again. Still warm from the oven I first tasted the «regular» and was instantly struck by the relative blandness of the custard — eggy and well prepared, yes, but not sweet and with only the butter in the crust as a notable taste. Disappointed I next tasted the strawberry version which, while better, tasted only mildly of berry (more «fruit punch» to my palate) and moreso like the sugary egg custard I sampled in San Francisco. Again well prepared and still warm/​fresh I certainly can’t say it was bad — especially for the price — but I’d not rush back either.

I love the egg custard here! When I took a bite out of it, I felt like I was back in HK. I’m craving for one right about now. Must come her next weekend when I’m in NYC again.

Egg custards.
Flaky, layered pastry on the outside and a light, break-​apart-​in-​your-​mouth feel is the best way to eat these. Healthy, they are not, but delicious, yes.
Egg Custard King Café produces many varieties, from egg white to flavors of the rainbow at times. It has seating for groups, and also other dishes that aren’t bad for snacking and eating, too, from hot plates of rice and meat and veggies that can be polished off with a pastry at the end!
Here, they are decently sized and not bad, but I’ve had flakier and more melt-​in-​your-​mouth, but there’s a variety here that’s hard to beat at a regular bakery.

Don’t expect anything of the service or décor, the talk of this establishment are the Egg Custards!
Custard Crust…
Unlike the common crumbling crust used in most other applications, Egg Custard King’s crust is the more traditional crusty /​flaky crust. Unfortunately, the crust didn’t provide the substantial balance and structure required of this application. The flakiness of the crust failed to deliver the mild buttery scent that’s common of an Egg Custard Crust.
Egg Custard (Regular):
The standard egg custard had the potential of being something great. Sadly, the discerning and overwhelming taste of one ingredient over the next tainted the delicacy of this consumable. At first consumption, it’s evident that the delicate structure of the Egg Custard is directly related to that of a balanced combination of Egg, Heavy Cream, Butter, and Sugar. Unfortunately, the taste of the Egg Custard was imbalanced and not welcoming. The sugar became the dominant factor in the application rather than that of the Egg Yolk and Butter. Each bite enhanced the affirmation that the excessive abundance of sugar used in the application overwhelmed any appreciated aspect of the Egg Custard.
Egg Custard (Almond Flavored):
The Almond Flavored Egg Custard provided the welcoming balance that’s common in that of an a well structured Egg Custard. The proper balance of Sugar, Butter, Egg Yolk, and Almond Extract aided the velvety texture of the Custard. The overall taste is that of a welcoming mild sweetness that’s not overwhelmed by any single ingredient.
Overall, to label the term «King» in your establishment, the execution of each of the products derived from the term must be of flawless precision. Sadly, the flaky crust and overwhelming sugary taste took away from the delicate nature of this consumable and left the taste more unwelcoming rather than that of satiety.

Went to China town looking for Egg Custard Buns, and thought we’d hit a jack pot upon seeing this place. Alas, they were, of course, by 8pm out of egg custard pastries.
That’s no way for a King to be. I say we depose the royalty and rename this place to «egg custard Anarchy café»

Of course their egg tarts are THE best! They have a lot of flavors as well. So many choices and options, which one to choose? Either way, you’d still make a great choice because every egg tart tastes great. Flaky crust and smooth egg custard. So good, so good. However, I wouldn’t try their lunches here such as pork fried rice etc etc. It’s pretty crummy and the food doesn’t even look fresh. But I guess that’s what you get for a meal that’s 3 — 5 bucks. But remember, this place specializes in egg tarts, not meals. Other than that, worth checking out if you’re in the mood for a light snack.

More flavors of egg tarts than you can shake a stick at!
Nice flaky crusts, light but not too sweet egg custard, and a myriad of flavors. Some of the flavors work for me better than others (I still don’t know about the neon green honeydew flavor… it just didn’t do it for me), but the almond and original were quite good. They also had the portuguese egg tarts which while good, were nothing compared to the ones I had in Macau. I’d club some baby seals for another couple of those.
PS. Stay away from the sour plum coke… seriously just not a good idea…

So I’m spending my summer in New York, failing to find food that is reminiscent of home, when I stumble upon Egg Custard King Café.
I stand in front of the 230 498 flavors of egg custards before I finally go with the almond. I sit down, bite into the flaky pastry… and: BAM. Third grade, Saturday afternoon, grandmother’s living room with the Chinese news on.
MMMMMM.

I know this place used to be the old original Sweet & Tart (shed a tear). Those days were some good eating…
Anyways, stopped by with friends for a bubble tea to go. My taro flavor was nice and strong, but a little artificial tasting. But hey, it’s cheap — $ 3; also got piece of coffee roll cake — only 75 cents?! Prices haven’t changed in 10 years in Chinatown? Yippee!
So apparently they have different flavors of egg custard, and guess what? I was in food coma after dim sum that I didn’t even try any — #%^$%!
Oh, and hey, ya know what else hasn’t changed? That fishy smell down on Canal St. my wife mentioned — I didn’t mind — back in NYC, bubble tea and sweets in hand — life was good… next time, I’ll try EVERYTHING behind the glass.

If heaven came in the form of an egg tart, I think I died when I ate one here.
If girls tasted like these egg tarts, I would eat every girl in that restaurant.
Stay classy, Egg Custard King Café.

Friends and I stopped on a Sunday evening to buy Chinese egg tarts to go. You need to walk downstairs from street level to enter this Egg Custard King Café location (there’s another one on Grand). It’s a pleasant, happy café, and a popular place too, as it was crazy crowded with people waiting in line and diners (the place isn’t large to begin with) — their food smelled delicious!
The egg tarts, the only thing I’ve ever had there, taste wonderful (not too sweet), are inexpensive, above-​average in quality, and way better than what you can get at dim sum (but I don’t get them often, since they’re filler). I will be back to try their other menu items — try them out yourself!

My obsession with eggs never cease. It’s a disease, but it’s the good kind. The kind where you embrace and instead say «let’s not fight it».
Twin: What’s with you and eggs?
Me: What’s with you not down with eggs like I do?
Twin: Why ya answering my question with a question?
Me: Why are you adopted?
Twin: Why are you the only one in the fam that’s got the tan?
Me: Why we not eating these tarts while it’s still hot?
Twin: What’s with all the questions, dumbass?
Me: Why are you a girl?
You see, I’ve always wanted a brother. By then, she rolled her eyes and grabbed the other piece I got for her. We’re the hilarious twins with different zero similar interests.
So, basically this joint is like pure heaven to me. I had the joy happy look and dragged my twin in there. You see, I love eggs too much. Egg tarts are happy food. They sell egg tarts in different forms. The only ones I’ve ever saw different ones, are the orginal egg tarts or the Portuguese Egg Tarts. This place sells them too, but then they have more other varities. Egg tarts are usually round, and at this joint, they sell them in different shapes or whatever you won’t think of. I tried to convince them to make one with the shape of my face or body. Imagine the look that dude had when I said it.
This place is sure a joy, got a couple of them and knocked myself silly. See, Eggs bring happiness.
PS: I love my twin. Come back already!

My friend Gen and I were just wondering around walking after having a nice lunch at one of the noodle houses. I wanted something sweet.
She brought me here. I love this little place. The pastries were very good and not too sweet. I had a cream puff, an almond custard tart, and an Ice Coffee. The other food looked and smelled very good, and there were only Asian people there. I was the only not looking Asian. (I do have it in my Ancestry)
It looked like a nice place for College and high school age girls to hang out as well as mom with kids this time of day. 3 – 5 pm, for an early light meal, tea, coffee, and a sweet.
I will definitely revisit this place when I am in the area.
The people were very friendly and welcoming.

Stumbled upon this place while wondering around Chinatown since we were craving something sweet and not much was open late at night. Headed downstairs and got crammed in a little corner table. Actually, no matter which table, you’ll probably be crammed.
Got some cakes and boba drinks. All decently tasty, but not super impressive. My sister loved her egg custard tart. I’m not a fan, so let her eat up all that flaky goodness by herself.
But, I swear, write any dish in Chinese, post it on a wall, and you’re guaranteed Asian patrons will order them — if only to show that they can read the signs. My mom’s a sucker for those signs, so she made us come back a couple days later.
Despite it being a dessert café and such, I think I preferred their food over the desserts. Typical Hong Kong-​style dishes for decent prices. Yum. Loved their Chinese sausage over rice, cold chicken, and some other homey Canto cuisine.
I recommend coming here when it’s cold outside because the crush of bodies in this tiny place will warm you up. Oh, but bring your deodorant.

Decent looking Chinese eatery in NY Chinatown, though small, it does have a cozy feeling and they do keep the place somewhat clean. On my birthday, my friend insisted we get some cake so we ended up in Egg Custard King where we ordered a slice of Mango Cake and Chocolate Cheesecake, plus a glass of bubble tea for me. The cakes were surprisingly pretty good, not too sweet which we liked. We got there really late so the egg custards were finished, we will be back again to try the much raved about egg custards soon.
Update 9÷26÷07 — Tried the egg custard and true enough they were really good.

Small place but the egg tarts are good!
CHEAP and GOOD!
My mom loves eating egg tarts and when she says its good. Then it MUST be good!
Its better to eat the egg tarts hot rather than taking it to go.

For those of you who are into «egg tarts» the famous egg custard treats from Dim Sum places, then this is a spot that makes them during all hours of the day. There are different flavors (mango, banana, strawberry) which are all .75 each.
Many people have crowded this basement facility for quite some time now, makes it a little claustrophobic if its on the weekend or a really busy night. The egg tarts themselves are good, but not always fresh it seems as many of the ones I’ve had were cold. It is worth checking out for the variety of egg tart flavors, but not for the highest quality egg tart in the city.
*UPDATE 5/​19/​2008* The prices have now risen to 90 Cents each. What a rip for the same borderline quality egg tarts. What a shame that food inflation is hitting Chinatown hard.