Margaret’s Cafe e Nata(澳門瑪嘉烈蛋撻店)

Exclusive: Interview with Margaret, the owner of the Cafe.

First impression: the tarts came out fresh from the oven and piping hot. We were hit with the rich aroma the instant Margaret placed the tarts on the table.

The egg tarts also looked very nice. The shell was golden brown and the custard was dotted with the infamous specks of black fro the burnt caramel. When bitten into, the puff pastry shell was hard enough to hold its shape and allowed the tart to stay in one piece when held. It was also crispy and flaky at the same time. The hint of salt in the pastry balances the sweetness of the custard interior.

Moreover, the burnt caramel layer on top of the custard added a layer of complexity to the tart. The bitter tones of the burnt top helped mellow up the intense richness of the smooth custard. The custard itself was also very nice. Made only of cream, eggs, sugar and milk, it was silky smooth and extremely flavorful. The tarts at Margaret’s aren’t traditional, in the sense that they don’t use custard powder, preferring to make the custard from scratch themselves. When eaten together, all the components of the tart complement each other perfectly. One of the best egg tarts in town. However, the staff of the cafe are always in a cranky mood, including Margaret herself. Even though I would be cranky too if I had to serve hundreds of rude mainland tourists a day. Beware.