The Challenge: Tea & Tarts

I'm going to come clean: I'm a little bit scared of Chinatown. I know it's jam-packed with tourists and arguably one of the safest hoods to haunt on a Tuesday afternoon, but to be honest, I'd rather get hit on by ten sketchy guys in the Mission than wait on line with ten Chinatown ladies. It's the pushing. And the yelling. And did I mention the pushing? I'm putting it down as a cultural difference. As a WASP, I'm just not cut out for this kind of thing. (As a side note, I'd like to point out that one of my favorite aspects of British culture is the dedication to queueing. Just try to cut the line at an Oxford bus stop. I dare you.)

But venture into Chinatown I must, if I was to tackle the egg custard tart from Golden Gate Bakery on the Challenge. Now, I was ready to be fairly unimpressed with this one. I've met a few egg tarts in my time. They're eggy. They're tarty. They're good with tea, and I like things that are good with tea, but you pretty much get the picture. "What ho," I thought to myself, eyeing the old lady cutting me in line, "I'm sure this will be nice, but probably not worth dealing with Chinatown again anytime soon."

And then I took a bite of steep, unctuous custard. And muttered an obscenity. And ate my words; every last, buttery, flaked bite.

Go to Chinatown! Go! No seriously. Go! And shame on you, other egg tarts of this world. I will suffer your mediocrity no longer. I and the pushy old ladies at Golden Gate Bakery know what's up.