Lord Stow's Café

After listening to friends wax lyrical about some custard dessert in Macau, we included Lord Stow’s Bakery into our itinerary in 2007. Admittedly, the Lord Tan Temple of Coloane was the designated highlight of our traipse to the sleepy island Coloane. 

Finding the place posed no problem, just follow your nose... Actually, we saw Lord Stow’s Garden Café right across the bus-stop. Deciding against stopping for lunch, we packed half a dozen tarts and went on our merry way. Sinking my teeth into the flaky pastry with milky custard, my world tilted and stopped for a moment. I could see my friend’s similarly glazed eyes and happy expression as our mouths filled with custard that simply melted in our mouths. All thoughts of calories and diets faded into oblivion… 

As we munched our way through the box, we came across Lord Stow’s Bakery at a junction, a quaint traditional Chinese-looking bakery, appearing slightly out of sync, with its Western name. We stopped by on our way back for another six tarts and bread, which tasted really good too. That day, we saw a dragon-boat carved out of whale bone and had lunch of Portuguese fare, but it was the dessert that lingered on in our memories.

Going back for a visit late 2008, we decided to skip Coloane in favour of The Venetian at the Cotai Strip. After the visit, it was two hours before we were due at the airport. But I was feeling somewhat deflated and thus, hopped on a No.21a bus and reached Lord Stow’s in no time. I picked up two dozens of the divine delights before hightailing back to our hotel. An hour later, it was mission accomplished. 

As grand and beautiful as the Venetian was, it felt soul-less, and it took Lord Stow’s  warm custards to remind me of a taste of real Macau, which I later helped to export into Malaysia (grin!). Now, when I think of Macau, I see the Ruins of St. Paul’s… as the gateway to heavenly custard tarts!

Scrolling through internet I came across Lord Stow’s.
Who is he? What is that? Make my curiosity grow.
Click on www.lordstow.com, there I go.
And came a website on Lord Stow’s.
Now I know:
1)He was an Englishman named Andrew Stow.
(1956-2006) May God Bless his soul!
2)On 1989 in tranquil island of Coloane, Andrew opens Lord Stow’s
3)Number 1 Rua Da Tassara is the first Stow, followed by another at Largo Da Matadoura, then another more at Rua da Cardoaria.
4)Cheesecakes, fruit cakes, sandwiches all he sold.
5)However, his masterpiece is the famous Portuguese Eggs Tart, which is the most he sold!
Then it goes, into my Macau “to do list”, scribble with Lord Stow’s.
On one faithful day, the formal Portuguese soil I finally go.
Onto bus No21A I hop on to from Largo de Senado.
View of Ah-Ma temple, Macau Tower, rows of casinos all I passed through. 
Then I saw lots of people holding boxes from Lord Stow’s.
I have reached the town name Coloane, now I know.
Without looking on my map, I know where I should go.
Go along the direction of nice bakery scent which flowing through.
Or toward the people holding the yellow box I shall follow.
Then I saw a small café with lots of tarts and there stood the famous Lord Stow’s.
Where the heart of many souls it has stole.
Finally I got my own masterpiece of Stow.
It smells so heavenly! It taste so magically! Making my saliva droll!
Baked from a mixture of flour, eggs, margarines and milks, it has a crispy crust also.
It is also the most seductive tart!
Till this day, it tastes still linger on my taste bug.
And I can’t find any other tart than can replace Lord Stow’s tart!