Imagine this: a thick slab of golden-brown toast, topped with a perfect knob of butter melting slowly into the middle, finished with a drizzle of sticky golden syrup.
For many Hong Kong diners, this variation on French toast is a familiar sight and a staple on menus across many of the city’s cha chaan teng. But don’t expect Cantoast Bakery in London to follow the mould.
“A lot of the time, I get questions from customers,” says Haydon Wong, chef-owner of the pop-up bakery, which specialises in an updated version of the dish. “‘What is salted egg?’ or ‘What is Hong Kong-style French toast?’, which I feel like is the first step in getting people more curious.”
Cantoast’s signature is made with rectangles of house-made milk bread that is deep-fried and cloaked in flavoured custards, such as pandan coconut, salted egg and black sesame.
Haydon Wong is the co-founder of Cantoast, a bakery in London specialising in Hong Kong-style French toast with a twist. Photo: Cantoast
Cantoast’s Hong Kong-style French toast comes cloaked in luxurious toppings such as golden salted egg yolk sauce, pandan coconut and crème brûlée. Photo: Cantoast“At a glance, Cantoast doesn’t resemble the traditional cha chaan teng French toast at all,” says Wong, adding that the philosophy of Korean cafes and Japanese bakeries has long inspired him.