Les Chateaux Bakery is a Chinese bakery located in New Kennedy Square of Unionville. In case you’re wondering, their address is: 8360 Kennedy Rd, Unionville, ON L3R 9W4.
We rarely come here due to the far drive from Toronto but every time we’re in Unionville, it’s so worth it especially when you’re craving some mouth-watering egg tarts!
The buns and pastries here call for less butter and heaviness, which makes them all so good in my opinion, but our favourite has to be their egg tarts.
Since Rui and I were in the area, we decided to stop by and post a review here. I think the last time we came here was years ago since Aromaz Bakery is much closer to us. Plus, my mom is a loyal customer and she always harps about Les Chateaux and how they have one of the best egg tarts in Greater Toronto.
Aside from their classic egg tart, their durian tart is also worth trying. You’ll have to ask if they still have them during the day since these usually run out by the afternoon.
Anyways, here’s what Rui and I ordered today as a snack to treat ourselves and to bring home for our parents.
You may also be interested in the best western bakeries in Toronto here, and Markham here.
Classic Egg Tarts
Every time we order egg tarts, we ask for the flakey shell because it’s our favourite type. After taking the first bite, I thought the ratio of egg custard to pastry was perfect and not overly sweetened. Les Chateaux’s egg tarts are actually one of the best I’ve had – even better compared to the ones I typically buy from Aromaz.
It’s not as buttery, oily, or sweet compared to the traditional recipes, so this is perfect for you if you’re not a fan of heavy pastries.
Even my aunt who has the most sensitive stomach says this is the only egg tart she can take (and enjoy) without running the beans or feeling sick later. And trust me when I say she has the most sensitive stomach – she can barely take any food including coconut, milk, spice, creamy stuff, most types of sauces, and certain bread! 😛
It was Rui’s first time trying this egg tart and he instantly thought it was one of the best he’s had. He said he likes the smoothness in the center and the natural flavour of the eggs. The only downfall is the server did not heat them up for us, so it would have been nice to have them piping hot and fresh out of the oven.
Next time, just ask them to heat it up if you want to experience its best taste!
- Pros: Amazing taste, not oily, and the perfect ratio of egg custard to pastry.
- Cons: Not fresh out of the oven and a little pricier than the average cost of egg tarts.
Durian Tarts
I haven’t tried the durian tarts because they didn’t have any when I came here today, but I’ve yet to come back!
However, my parents including my sister come here frequently for their durian tarts and are huge fans.
They say these tarts are filled with a generous amount of creamy durian filling and encased in a delicate, flaky crust. In fact, it’s my sister’s favourite and she prefers it over the egg tart any day!
Durian tarts are definitely not for everyone because of the strong smell but if you are obsessed with the fruit, then I highly recommend giving these a try.
I love anything durian and I would treat myself once in a while. That includes foods like the durian puff pastries from the best dim sum places like Yu Seafood, Crown Prince, Skyview Fusion, and the alike. That also includes durian birthday cakes from places like Daan Go Cake Lab – so delicious!
- Pros: One of the best since you won’t easily find these anywhere, filled with creamy durian filling, and encased in a delicate, flaky crust.
- Cons: Strong smell and pricey.
Coconut Tart
Because they didn’t have durian tarts that day, I decided to get the coconut tart instead as my second choice. Rui and I shared one of these to see how it tastes.
The tart was filled with a generous amount of sweetened shredded coconut and had a hint of buttery taste. It’s not something I would buy again because I prefer the egg tart over this treat. The good thing is you’ll enjoy the natural taste of the coconut (along with some sugar), but if you’re not a fan of sweet tarts then this might not be for you. Rui agrees and it’s not something he would want to eat again. He thinks it’s a waste of calories since he didn’t enjoy it.
- Pros: Not overly heavy, less oily, and has a good coconut taste to it.
- Cons: Not as good as egg tarts or durian tarts.
Cocktail Bun
Cocktail buns are one of my classic favorites since childhood. I don’t eat them as much anymore because excessive consumption of sugar and Chinese bakery isn’t great for your health. But I still enjoy them once in a while when we’re out.
I took a few bites and let Rui finish the rest since he’s also a big fan of these buns. After eating a quarter of this bun, I kind of fell in love. My first thought was, “Wow, it’s not as sweet, oily, or greasy”. It’s quite strange because we’ve tried this bakery in the past and I don’t remember it being less heavy compared to other bakery places.
This time, I really noticed the difference!
Rui agrees and said he appreciates how the ingredients aren’t as fatty, sugary, or buttery as their competitors. Obviously, it’s still high in sugar and butter content, but just less! However, he says he still enjoys the cocktail bun from Aromaz and will be happy to buy from them because Les Chateaux is far from where we live. If they were closer to us, we would definitely buy the cocktail bun from here.
If you’re the type of person who loves buttery and sweet buns with lots of flavour, then you may not like the one from Les Chateaux as much.
- Pros: Not as sweet, oily, buttery, or greasy, and has a good coconut taste to it. In other words, no “heavy” feeling.
- Cons: Might not be as flavourful as your original cocktail bun from Hong Kong or other Chinese bakeries in Toronto, Scarborough, Markham, and Richmond Hill.
Curry Beef Bun
I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a curry beef bun in my life, but Rui is a huge fan of them! With this particular one, he thinks it lacks flavour and is very plain. He prefers other bakery’s curry beef buns because the curry flavour is more prominent and intense.
Rui says this bun is perfect for you if you have a sensitive stomach and want something that isn’t as flavourful.
- Pros: none, unless you enjoy buns that are less sweet without heavy flavour.
- Cons: lack of taste and pricier compared to other bakeries.
Food: 3/5
I believe their egg tarts (and durian tarts) are better than most (those deserve a 4 star) and it’s probably what makes most people come back. Their items are lighter than most other bakeries and I actually think this is a pro from my perspective. However, if you love heavy butter and prefer loads of sweet flavours, then you may not like this bakery overall. I think you will probably love their tarts though!
Service: 3/5
The service here isn’t terrible, but it’s not top-notch.
We like the fact that the servers from Aromaz Bakery always offer to serve us egg tarts fresh from the oven, or they ask us if we like them to be heated up when they don’t have any fresh ones on hand.
Les Chateaux, on the other hand, doesn’t take the initiative to do that for you. So, if you’re looking for good egg tarts here, make sure to ask the server to heat them up for you.
Ambiance: 3/5
This bakery is very small but we like how it’s easy to spot the buns and pastries you want without feeling confused or overwhelmed. This place has been in business for years, and it’s one of the longest-running bakeries in Unionville, so the decor isn’t fancy or modernized. Maybe they can spend a little bit of money and update its look since they charge higher than other bakeries.
Price: $$
The price is a little higher than your average bakery. I don’t know if it’s because their buns are lighter and they use less sugar, butter, grease, etc. but they sure know who their audience is. I don’t mind paying the higher price because I prefer the “lighter” version and to me, “lighter” tastes better.
Rui, on the other hand, appreciates taste and experience. Yet at the same time, he doesn’t want to overconsume the buttery and sugary items. So he’s a little confused as if he would pay higher price for the lighter version. What he knows for sure, though, is he would totally come back for the egg tarts but not the curry beef bun!
Les Chateaux Bakery: 3/5
We give his bakery a 3 out of 5 stars because we know the majority of the people look for value. You won’t get value here, but you’ll get buns and pastries that aren’t overly sweet. Some may think it lacks flavour, but some may love it!
It’s either you hate it or love and it really depends on how you like your buns and pastries. This will be the perfect place for those who are a little bit more health conscious and want to treat themselves once in a while without feeling too guilty.
On the other hand, if you’re all about the OG recipe, intense flavour, and sweetness, then you may not like this place. As I said earlier, you might fall in love with their freshly-made egg tarts! Their egg tarts (when fresh) deserve a 4 out of 5 stars at least!
Do you enjoy the buns and pastries from Les Chateaux? Let us know in the comments below! 🙂
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