Kam Do

So why is a Lo Poh Beng named as such? Literally translated, it means "wife cake". There are several stories which explain the origins of this pastry. I'm not about to go into them; but the stories essentially have the theme of love. The cake itself is a symbol of that love. The cake is comprised of flaky pastry (made with yummy lard) and filled with wintermelon almond paste. These cakes are readily available at most Chinese bakeries. However, the best Lo Poh Beng are apparently available at Kam Do Bakery in Richmond. Having just finished Dim Sum at Fisherman's Terrace, I thought it would be a great idea to go get some. I had to go get some cash first and on my way to the bank, I ran into a lady who was wearing a face mask. I guess some people are really afraid of the swine flu?

So after a not-so-short stop at the dollar store (so that's where you can get full-face visors!), we proceeded to Kam Do. In addition to being a bakery, it is a restaurant as well. There is a modest selection of buns and pastries. However, the most dominant item is indeed the Lo Poh Beng. Despite the other items looking less-than-appealing, I decided to get a variety for comparison's sake. Of course, I some Lo Poh Beng. I also got Pei Dan So, which is century duck egg nestled in sweet lotus paste encased in the same flaky pastry as the Lo Poh Beng. Moreover, I got the usual: Pineppple Buns, BBQ Pork Buns and Egg Tarts.

Honestly, the egg tarts are some of the ugliest ones I've ever seen. The tart shell is the hard type (rather than puff pastry) and I'm not particularly enamored to it. Mind you, the egg custard was pretty good (not too sweet). The buns looked a bit pale and the dough was a bit chewy. But honestly, the main attraction at Kam Do are the Lo Poh Beng. And I must say that they are some pretty fine Lo Poh Beng. The pastry is ever-so-light and flaky (despite the fact there must be copious amounts of lard!). The filling is equally light tasting. I must give props again to my favourite whipping girl JA for the heads up about the Lo Poh Beng. I think she told me months ago; but I never really like to linger in Richmond. This time I did linger and didn't come out worse for wear. Maybe Richmond is growing on me...

The Good:
- Excellent Lo Poh Beng
- Good quality boxes for your pastries (they actually close w/o using tape)
- Products with the same pastry as the Lo Poh Beng are also good

The Bad:
- Limited selection
- Other items are crappy

Kam Do Bakery
8391 Alexandra Road
Richmond, B.C.
604-231-9216