Eldo Cake House, Boston

The sweet scent of freshly baked pastries fills the air at the popular Chinatown bakery known as Eldo Cake House. This bustling shop has glass cases filled with steamed pork buns, apple pies, almond cakes, curry beef turnovers, slices of white frosted coconut cream cake, squares of spongy pineapple cake and flaky roast pork turnovers. Inventive whole cakes, wedding cakes and larger baskets of assorted sweets can also be ordered on site and preferably in advanced, while simpler snacks like creamy egg tarts are available for $1 or less. But for as vibrant as the display case is, Eldo’s own décor is simple and demure; bare white walls, the occasional café table and a small ordering counter comprise the vast majority of the tiny Chinatown storefront.