Beard Papa comes to Vancouver

[BCinBC]

I finally had a Beard Papa puff. Very good custardy filling and chocolate topping. And I didn't even have to wait in line. All good.

And I hope the hype is still going to encourage them to open more outlets.

[Panda]

Just wish they'd get those other flavours out.

[twinkienic]

I think they do have the other flavours out (unless they stopped making them). Last time I went about a month ago, I bought some matcha flavoured cream puffs. They had a schedule posted showing which flavours they would be making on each day. They still didn't have some of their non-cream-puff goods yet though.

[Panda]

I think they do have the other flavours out (unless they stopped making them). Last time I went about a month ago, I bought some matcha flavoured cream puffs. They had a schedule posted showing which flavours they would be making on each day.  They still didn't have some of their non-cream-puff goods yet though.

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I went on Wednesday and tried their chocolate. You're right about the schedule. It looks like it's a 3 day for each flavour rotation.

[twinkienic]

How was the chocolate? I'm keen to try the earl grey. For some reason, I'm always a sucker for tea-flavoured goods.

[hummingbirdkiss]

You guys I just don't get it with these things!?!

I put it on my list for this trip up there this week..because ..I adore cream puffs..(well who doesn't?)

Two thumbs down for me and Beard Papa's ..these were major league disapointing!!!

I know folks love them ..but like the whole big noise about Krispy Kreme donuts here ..I just do not get it at all!!! They have no taste!!!

I was so excited after reading this thread to make the trek to Aberdeen mall while in Richmond ...

My husband and I tried one each of the regular, chocolate filled and the eclair and I took two bites out of each one ..just to make sure my first impression was not tainted ..and honestly all three were a major disapointment ...

while these looked perfect ...the love affair pretty much ended at looks

The puff itself tasted like a saltine cracker with out the salt..water flour and no flavor ..no eggy goodness in them at all ... they were crispy and tasteless

the filling was not creamy.. it was watery tasting with a bit of graininess..it was alike a watery cornstarch pudding ..made with nonfat milk......the regular filling barely had a hint of vanilla to it ..no custardy texture or taste ..just nothing.....the chocolate tasted a watered down cocoa flavor added to nonfat instant pudding.....

the eclair ..well the dark chocolate was dark and intense it was not a good match for the tasteless puff! and when I bit into it the chocolate fell off the top ..it was too hard for the puff ...while I love dark chocolate if you wanted to taste anything else in this puff the chocolate they used completely overwhelmed the tastelessness of the rest of the thing!

for all the good advice I have gotten on this board..I dont get the love of these tasteless puffs! they need EGGS!!!! What is a cream puff with out the egginess???? I dont get it I am sorry ..for those of you who do enjoy these ..please my servings are now yours!

hey live and learn! The rest of the food in Richmond as usual was fantastic ..so I quickly forgot my disapointment in Beard Papa's!!!

Edited March 8, 2008 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[Panda]

How was the chocolate? I'm keen to try the earl grey. For some reason, I'm always a sucker for tea-flavoured goods.

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I was actually kind of disappointed with their chocolate. When I first tried the original the custard center was surprisingly cool and creamy. I don't really like the usual custard-filled baked goods so it was a nice discovery. I guess I tried their chocolate with higher expectations because I felt really let down. There wasn't much chocolatey flavour and the center wasn't as cool as the first time. I think it might be because they had been filled and left to sit for a bit whereas the first time there was a line and it had been just filled. Anyone else noticing a difference since they first opened?

[barolo]

Beard Papa is opening a shop on Denman Street at the old Germaine Bakery site almost at Davie.

[inanimate]

I tried my first beard papa puffs in hong kong earlier this year and was disappointed as well.

Just not quite as dreamy as I had heard all over the place.

I'd stick with an Anna's cake house cream puff now.

[PaoPao]

We visited the Denman location on Sunday. The street was blocked off and a ton of people were walking around enjoying the sun. I was anticipating a huge line up but when I got there ... nothing. I just walked right up to the counter and ordered. Maybe the Beard Papa trend has yet to catch on with downtown residents. St. Germain Bakery still seems to be in operation as well with the upper space for Beard Papa and the lower St. Germain. The puffs were the same as I had tried in Richmond but at least this time I was able to try the éclair without it being sold out.

[sanrensho]

I think the Denman location is a bad move for them. Their main customer base is the Asian community and the Chinese community in particular by sheer numbers. Denman Street isn't a great location in that respect.

Aside from Aberdeen Centre, the only logical place where I can see them doing good volume is in Crystal Mall.

Edited June 17, 2008 by sanrensho (log)

[canucklehead]

The Denman street location is a franchise - the storefront still holds the St Germain Bakery as well as a small ice cream counter. Looks like the owners are hedging their bets with three offerings to the public.

There is a large Japanese student population downtown - but you are right - the concentration of Asians is certainly much less. But to build a successful long term franchise - they have to try to move beyond their traditional client base. There was short line up when I was there - but no hoopla or hype - which probably is a good thing for them.

[sanrensho]

But to build a successful long term franchise - they have to try to move beyond their traditional client base.

Call me jaded, but I don't think BP is positioned to be successful as a long-term franchise here in this country, outside of areas with heavy Asian populations.

I just don't think it strikes a chord with the rest of the population, for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the reaction seems to be "It's just a cream puff?" Then there's the product. Not big enough, not sweet enough, flavors aren't aggressive enough, and most of all, not substantial enough (too light). Conversely, those are the reasons why the BP puffs strike a chord in the Asian population, IMO.

Of course, I would love to be proven wrong.

[Vancouver]

Two more locations opening soon....

Crystal Mall (unit 2320) in Burnaby and City Square (unit 26) in Vancouver.

So that will be a total of 4 so far.

[Kentan]

Beard Papa's newest location is now open on Robson St. between Seymour and Richards.

[Dianabanana]

Beard Papa gets two thumbs down from me, too. I wish I could remember the brand of cream puff I had in Tokyo that was so awesome. It was in one of the big subway stations and by the end of the trip we were so addicted that we were taking half-hour subway rides just to get more cream puffs. WAY better than Beard Papa.

[choux]

There's also one in Park Royal in the 'Market' area near the grocery store.