Tucked away on Baldwin Street is a little gem of a Chinese bakery called Yung Sing. The place is family owned and operated and has been in business for at least 35 years, which is how long my Chinese wife Annie has been going there.
What keeps her coming back long after she left the neighbourhood is the fabulous custard egg tart called Dan Tat. Dan Tat, when done well, has a moist, almost runny custard filling that has just the right amount of sweetness, supported by a very flakey and tender crust. Too often, Dan Tat that is found in Dim Sum places or lesser bakeries is overcooked, resulting in a custard that is too firm and a pastry that is hard and dry - not so at Yung Sing. If you time it just right at Yung Sing, it will still be warm from the oven. Whenever we approach the bakery, Annie would quicken her pace and scoot ahead of me in excitement and anticipation of the treat to come.
Apart from the Dan Tat, Yung Sing also has a selection of delicious deep-fried treats such as shrimp wontons, Fun Gok (shrimp, pork, and water chestnut), and Woo Gok (taro paste with a flakey breading). All have generous amounts of filling and are not too greasy. Also available are Chinese buns well-stuffed with things like curry chicken, barbequed pork, ham and egg, or beef, and they are much better quality and larger than most. One makes a great snack. A limited number of cook-to-order dishes are posted on a chalkboard menu, including the Dim Sum favourites, Ha Gow and Sui Mai.
All of these delicacies are offered at incredibly cheap prices, many for less than a dollar. You can also get refillable cups of Chinese tea for 50 cents. Make sure that you go early, as most of the good stuff sells out fast and we have been disappointed
more than once when we arrived in the middle of the afternoon. This will also help you avoid the lineups which can get quite long around lunch time.
What makes Yung Sing stand out is the fact that all of their goods are freshly prepared, daily, on-site. As they start to run out of Fun Gok for example, the person behind the counter will yell downstairs to the chef to make sure that more is on its way.It's a great place to get a snack or a cheap light lunch, but be prepared that you may have to stand in line for a few minutes. Yung Sing is a take-out place, but during warm weather they have a picnic table on the front lawn.
Yung Sing Chinese Bakery
22 Baldwin Street
416 979-2832
3 comments:
I was there yesterday. Been going 32 years -- since my first year at UofT. Every time I am in Toronto I make a point of stopping in and picking up as much as I can. BBQ Pork Buns and Pork Bun yesterday. MMMMM Always as good as I remember.
I was there today. I also drop by when I can or I phone in an order of Buns, especially the fried rice for myself and my daughter. My husband loves the BBQ Pork and Curried Beef. The service is execellent also
Yeah, been going there for almost 30 years...it's comfort food, but still draws me back when I can get back to Toronto and have the time to get down into the area, which isn't often anymore...
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