IPOH, Aug 2 — Since the BIG move to Hong Kong a few weeks back, I have been devouring an awful lot of delicious Chinese food, ranging from restaurant fare in more established names like Lei Garden, to repeated visits to the char chaan teng; the no-frills, Hong Kong style cafés with tables and benches almost merging with one another in tight spaces, and even street food from the round-the-clock streets of Hong Kong.

Now, despite the variety of food and beverages available — including international cuisine at every corner and in every mall — the one deadly-irresistible combination which is also a perennial tea break favourite (also known as ha ng char) of the local folks: egg tarts and milk tea.

If you have been watching TVB dramas or Hong Kong movies since you were in diapers, then you must have observed at least one scene where office workers would scream in delight when one of their colleagues carries in boxes of egg tarts for their tea time pleasure.

Well, in these fast-evolving times where people don’t really have time for work, let alone social, bonding, I merely assumed this was another over-used cliché from the creative (or predictable) minds of the directors.

But I was wrong.

This has actually happened more than once to me thus far, when my colleagues would bring back boxes of devilishly aromatic and addictive egg tarts; the golden, wobbly custard centre still runny (almost) and scorching-hot from the oven.

But let’s talk about something closer to home.

Choy Kee Biscuit at Simee market has always been my favourite spot for egg tarts in Ipoh, despite the morning crowd and the need to wake much earlier than the rest of the family to get one! (left). At Nam Heong in Old Town, you can have the best of both worlds; a cup of delightfully frothy and robust white coffee and egg tarts that are guaranteed fresh from the oven (right)

In our relatively more serene backyard of Ipoh, there are a few popular stalls in town that have consistently lured me back for repeated helpings of their egg tarts.

My favourite stall thus far, and it has been so for at least a decade or two, is Choy Kee Biscuit stall located in Simee wet market, an almost indistinguishable stall wedged between other food stalls if not for the high traffic of loyal customers in the early hours of the morning, patiently lining up or hanging around the market.

Usually customers would choose a more productive way to wait by enjoying a breakfast of chee cheong fun directly behind Choy Kee, or fish ball noodles from the other stalls.

On busier mornings — weekends or long holidays, for instance — the crowd swells to a gathering of scary, ravenous fans. And since the tarts are baked in the oven on the spot (some other items are actually baked at their factory off-site), every batch can be quickly snapped up within minutes!

But the production is continuous, so you may not need to wait long. Choy Kee’s egg tarts are still the best in my opinion; the flaky, buttery pastry crumbles with every bite, but does hold its structure in the box or in your hands, without leaving an excessive layer of grease like those from some other stalls.

The soft, velvety smooth and creamy egg custard centre is undeniably irresistible; paired with a cup of Ipoh white coffee or silky smooth milk tea (though not in the same league as Hong Kong’s much stronger version), this ensemble makes for a perfect duo for breakfast or tea time.

Even if you are not keen on egg tarts, you can opt for Choy Kee’s other savoury options like kai sou (mini chicken pies), charn bao (baked buns filled with sweet and juicy char siew fillings) and more.

If the Simee market is too far off from your comfort zone or familiar grounds, then Hong Kee in the heart of Ipoh city would do the trick.

Inside a corner coffee shop named Weng Seng that you would most probably have never heard of or thought about dropping by for a meal, this confectionery stall has been around for decades now.

Their signature items are all sell-outs: the famous egg tarts, their shat keh mah and the gai dan gou (Swiss roll-like cake baked with lots of eggs, and slathered with a layer of kaya) are usually available on a need to order basis, so you would do best to call in advance.

The master behind these egg-y creations hailed from the legendary early days of the dim sum stalwarts in Ipoh; namely Kwong Chow, Pearl River (Chu Kwong) and Diamond (Jun Sek) restaurants, which are all but lost with the tide of time.

Since we are on the subject of dim sum, some of the dim sum restaurants in Ipoh do serve pretty good egg tarts, just not consistently, in my opinion. Foh San, Ming Court and Yoke Fook Moon are but some of the more renowned names but the price to pay is a lengthy waiting time for a seat, terrible parking options, and most unfortunately, lacklustre quality of their egg tarts. Maybe for their freshly steamed dim sum from the kitchen, but not the pastries definitely.

And lastly, Nam Heong in Ipoh Old Town also bakes decent egg tarts fresh on the spot; with slightly runny custard and a more buttery pastry. The highlight of this familiar sounding kopitiam is definitely their white coffee; being the originator of the Old Town White Coffee franchise that is gradually transforming the way people perceive the kopitiam/local café concept all over the country, and even the region.

In more modern eateries like Nam Heong at Ipoh SOHO, you still get the same selection of classics like their egg tarts and white coffee, albeit the quality is slightly compromised and prices on the higher side; a small price to pay for comfort and convenience

Sometimes, even egg tarts from the morning markets can be as delightful; you remember the smaller than palm size bites with a more cookie-based pastry rather than flaky version? I remember back in my primary school days when my late grandma would buy three pieces for a mere RM1, in a plastic bag tied with a pink raffia string. Although not the most refined pieces of pastry and the hawkers are not selling them fresh from the oven, those sheer joyful memories from childhood are still embedded deep in my heart to this very day.

So, care to share your favourite spot for egg tarts with me?

Choy Kee Biscuit

Simee Wet Market in Kampung Simee, Ipoh

Opens early in the morning until about afternoon

Hong Kee Confectionery Trading

Weng Seng Coffee Shop, 14, Jalan Cockman (Jalan Dato Onn Jaafar) 30300 Ipoh

Nam Heong Coffee Shop

2, Jalan Bandar Timah, 30000 Ipoh

James Tan loves good food and blogs at Motormouth From Ipoh (www.j2kfm.com)