Bakehouse in Hong Kong is an artisanal bakery from Grégoire Michaud, a Swiss-French baker who established himself in the pastry kitchens of hong Kong’s five-star hotels.

In mid-2023, Michaud’s take on Hong Kong’s beloved egg tart drew substantial queues around the block. Even in November, the lines persisted, extending a good 10-15  metres down the block. Fortunately, the queue moved relatively quickly, and we were able to enter and exit in about 10 minutes.

Sourdough Egg Tart (12 HKD/2.4 AUD) Michaud’s version featured a jiggly custard centre encased in a flaky laminated sourdough pastry. Upon tasting, the sourdough base had a delightful flakiness, complemented by a creamy and intensely eggy centre. The overall taste resembled a fusion of the crispy, flaky puff pastry found in Portuguese egg tarts (rather than the more buttery crumbly puffy of Hong Kong egg tarts) and the whole egg custard characteristic of Hong Kong egg tarts (as opposed to the spiced egg yolk custard in Portuguese tarts).

While we enjoyed these egg tarts when cold, a brief reheating in a toaster oven would likely have enhanced the creaminess of the centre. Overall, these were delightful egg tarts that lived up to the hype, though our preference still leans towards the more buttery puff pastry of the Hong Kong egg tarts from Tai Cheong Bakery.

Pretzel Twist (20 HKD/4 AUD). This pastry had a laminated and buttery texture, enhanced by a delightful touch of savoury flaky sea salt. While it provided a satisfying chewiness, we felt that a more pronounced lye flavor would have added an extra layer of boldness.

Apple Cobbler Doughnut (38 HKD/7.6 AUD). The doughnut had a crisp outer layer and a soft, tender interior. The custard enveloping the cooked apple center served as an effective barrier, preventing the doughnut from becoming soggy. This custard layer also contributed a delightful sweet creaminess, balancing the mild tartness of the apples, which retained a satisfying bite and featured balanced use of cinnamon and a pleasant sweetness.

The pastries at Bakehouse displayed finesse and skill in their execution. We would return to explore other offerings in their pastry selection.

Bakehouse is located at 16 Kai Chiu Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.