Nata de Cristiano — Restaurant in Tokyo

Nestled inconspicuously on the side of a bustling Tokyo building, "Pastéis de Nata de Cristiano" is the kind of place you might pass without a glance, unless you knew the treasure of taste that awaited within. Its doorway might be shy, but what lies beyond is bold in flavor: a custard tart so impeccably crafted, it might just have you questioning your life choices.

Each pastel de nata here is a flaky embrace followed by a custard kiss - sweet, creamy, and with a buttery sincerity that assures you, this is no artificial romance. These treats can stand proudly in the global pastel de nata lineup, holding their own even against the Macanese variety, and whispering tales of a Portugal I’ve yet to visit.

The staff? Imagine tour guides who've mastered the language of hospitality as fluently as English, pointing you to the next café with the confidence of locals. It’s a freshly-baked, freshly-brewed experience, uninterrupted by lines if you play your cards right with time. Sitting outside, the calm Tokyo hum as your dining soundtrack, you’re privy to a secret: they bake these golden rounds thrice a day - a ritual of freshness. And for the adventurous, a Halloween twist - black custard, like the night sky turned delicious.

Value is a subjective dance of wallet and want, but here, the tango tilts in your favor. Five stars, for pastéis worth their weight in gold, served up in a slice of Tokyo quiet. Take my advice: get there early, beat the queue, and savor the best kept secret of Shibuya’s...

Very small shop where you can only enter one by one. People usually queue for 15 minutes outside to buy the pastries. The place is very popular, and stuff can quickly get sold out. Be careful and go queue early in the day. The masterpiece that attracts both locals and tourists is the "Pastel de Nata". For 200 yen, it's a small 4-bites egg tart. Doesn't sound that exciting, right? Well, that might be where the magic lies. Christiano, if he exists, absolutely mastered this simple pastry, and everything is concentrated in a small paper bag. No shiny fancy colors and shapes, crazy list of ingredients. It's very difficult to explain the taste of the Pastel, because it is simple and discreet, like a gem that doesn't like glitters and wants to stay hidden. You can feel the quality, and the pastry is innocently pleasing to eat. Just like a cinema movies's best digital FX, it succeeds being hard to realize. You're so absorbed enjoying it that you can't analyze it. Your mouth isn't filled with the sweet, that gracefully vanishes to unveil the pure resulting effect of eating it, but by your own senses, bathed in a warm and soft...

3.5 stars Good but bit of a disappointment. The pastry part is spot on but egg tart filling... needs work.

The egg tart filling has too much cream or butter or BOTH! A bit oily egg tart filling. For the price the size is small. Another tart had chunk white something...cheese? Hmm, not necessary, if you ask me! Meat pie was okay...on the small side.

Good ingredients but the process may be a bit rushed. Yummy and buttery shell.. okay egg tart filling but not worth a very long wait. It's not crowded on rainy days!

If you go here, the egg tart is...