Bunn Choon

Even on a weekday, hordes of egg tart fanatics queue at this modest stall for a chance at a delicious perk-me-up. They huddle around the display of fresh-out-of- the-oven tarts and shout their orders to owner Wong Kok Tong, who exhaustively manages every request with a smile. Every day, almost 800 tarts fly off the trays. Kok Tong’s wife assembles the tarts at home before they’re carried over to the stall for baking.

This enviable husband-and-wife synergy results in some of the best egg tarts you’ll find in KL – the pastry is incredibly flaky and the creamy egg filling, when warm, jiggles with the threat of falling apart. But it miraculously holds up within the shell. The filling is made simply with egg, sugar and water, while the crust is held together by the power of pork lard. The lack of shortening as a tenderiser back in the day is a reason many Chinese bakeries resort to lard, and at Bunn Choon, they maintain the tradition.

Kok Tong is a fourth generation owner of the business, which started out in 1893 as a Chinese teahouse in Petaling Street. His grandfather then expanded the business into a dim sum joint and bakery where charcoal ovens were the only option. These days, there are electric ovens but the egg tart recipe remains unchanged. However, to keep up with trends, Kok Tong introduced charcoal black sesame and green tea versions. Pineapple tarts, kaya rolls and Chinese wedding biscuits are also available, but really, the egg tarts are more than you’ll ever need.