Beard Papa Sweets Cafe

Suzanne F · March 6, 2004

Next day update: after a night in the fridge, the top of the pastry is pretty soggy, but the bottom with the pie crust is still nice and crunchy. The filling is ever so slightly more flavorful, but still not much.

I hope I can get HWOE to eat at least one of the two remaining puffs. There's no nutrition labelling, but these things can't be low-fat or in any way healthy. :biggrin:

SarahD · March 8, 2004

I braved the line yesterday and agree with Suzanne. Nice crisp pastry. The filling good, but I was expecting more vanilla flavor. A total mess to munch while waiting for the M104. I'm curious about the other flavors of filling, hope we don't have to wait too long.

Suzanne F · March 9, 2004

My final report on this: Yesterday morning (more than 48 hours after purchase), the last of the cream puffs were finally finished. Damned if the bottom crust didn't still have some crunch to it! (Although the top of the puff was a total sog.) The filling had indeed increased slightly more in flavor, but in the end the overwhelming impression was of whipped cream.

HWOE finally ate one, and said, "Hey, this is really good!" There you have it, folks, the definitive review. :rolleyes: From someone who does not analyze his food but simply eats and enjoys. :wub:

BTW, as a bizarre, NYC-is-just-another-small-town occurrence: we were at City Center 3 times this weekend to see Paul Taylor Dance Company, and on our way in to one performance I noticed in the lobby the woman who I was sure had been right behind me on line at Beard Papa's. She eventually sat in the same section as we did, and when I went up to her and asked, "Didn't we stand next to each other on the creampuff line?" she laughed and acknowledged, yes, we had. Ach, NY is SUCH as small town. :laugh:

kurl · March 10, 2004

Stopped by today -- not much to add to the already great report, other than that the "Pipin' Hot" in the title is, as mentioned, a complete fallacy. I suspect there is o "Beard Papa" either, which means that more than half of the title is wrong. It's worth a trip for the novelty, but I couldn't imagine regularly stopping by there unless it's on the way from something to something else (though, since they are only a couple of blocks from the Papaya King -> Lincoln Center route frequently taken by me at about 6:45, I could see myself allowing 5 or so more minutes and making them part of the routine).

mjr_inthegardens · March 10, 2004

How do they compare to Italian bakery cream puffs.

What's the big difference?

bloviatrix · March 10, 2004

I walked by yesterday afternoon. The place was pretty empty. I guess it's already last week's news.

Suzanne F · March 10, 2004

How do they compare to Italian bakery cream puffs.
What's the big difference?

The double shell stays very crisp. And all by itself, the shell is delicious. Come to think of it, if they would just sell the shell, they'd do fine. :hmmm:

kurl · March 10, 2004

I thought the cream was totally fine -- the shell is fantastic, but the cream is definitely good.

To me, the big problem with the Puffs is that they're almost ludicrously messy -- significantly messier than, say, a cream-filled donut. Maybe I need to refine an effective way of eating them.

Suzanne F · March 10, 2004

Or maybe you just need to eat them in the right circumstances with the right person. :wink:

Jason Perlow · March 10, 2004

Cool coverage of the opening on The Gothamist, a local blogger's page.

http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2004/03/...r_west_side.php

Jason Perlow · March 10, 2004

Luscious Tenderness and

Sweet Compassion

Bring Joy and Contentment

bloviatrix · March 11, 2004

Luscious Tenderness and
Sweet Compassion
Bring Joy and Contentment

Wow. With comments like that, who needs a SO?

:laugh:

Suzanne F · March 11, 2004

But why did The Gothamist make such a big deal (all right, mentioned twice) that these cream puffs "are not fried"? Cream puffs are never fried. What did she think they were, cannoli? :huh:

lia · March 15, 2004

I walked by yesterday afternoon. The place was pretty empty. I guess it's already last week's news.

Sunday 3/14/04, about 7:10 pm, LOOONG line out the door, about halfway down the block. I didn't wait. maybe tomorrow.

Was it in the newspapers today?

cakewalk · March 15, 2004

I walked by yesterday afternoon. The place was pretty empty. I guess it's already last week's news.
Sunday 3/14/04, about 7:10 pm, LOOONG line out the door, about halfway down the block. I didn't wait. maybe tomorrow.
Was it in the newspapers today?

I walked by last Tuesday evening, about 7:30. Also, a long line out the door. So I guess they're catching on. (I didn't wait.)

R Washburn · March 15, 2004

Friday afternoon it was a 30min. wait. I thought it would have calmed down by then.

mpav · April 1, 2004

I was wondering what the consensus is on Beard Papa on B'way in the upper 70s.

I found the cream puff to be delightfully rich, not too sweet, a nice pick up and eat on the go sort of thing. Wish they had a Beard Papa in my neck of the woods.

Edited April 2, 2004 by mpav (log)

lia · April 2, 2004

Finally had one today. I found the shell intriguing, as i couldn't really tell two separate elements, it was very tasty. The cream was rich and not too sweet, but like some other posters upthread i would have preferred a stronger vanilla flavor.

torakris · April 2, 2004

They open one in NY before they open one close to my house?!?! :angry:

mascarpone · April 6, 2004

After visiting Japan last December and tasting "Shoe Cream" cream puffs, one observation I can make is that the typical Japanese cream puff does not have a shell that is as hard or crusty as the Beard Papa version.

My girlfriend, a native of Tokyo, introduced me to Japanese cream puffs (as well as Japanese chiffon style cheese cake). As she had explained to me, the Japanese shoe creams (and cheese cake) are distintive in that they are not as sweet as American pasteries. According to my girlfriend, mothers would purchase "shoe creams" for their children as a less expensive option to more expensive pasteries on trips to bakeries, supermarkets, and department stores.

I will post comments about Japanese chiffon style cheese cake in a separate post.

Edited April 6, 2004 by mascarpone (log)

mjc · April 6, 2004

I was here yesterday. There was a line out the door and it was kind of cold out. I too was very impressed by the crispyness of the shell, but rather diassapointed in the cream. It was very smooth, but didn't have enough flavor for me.

mascarpone · April 6, 2004

I was here yesterday. There was a line out the door and it was kind of cold out. I too was very impressed by the crispyness of the shell, but rather diassapointed in the cream. It was very smooth, but didn't have enough flavor for me.
--------------------
Mike

This flavor issue concerning the vanilla custard is an intriguing. Out of curiosity... do you think the weak flavor might instead be a more subtle flavor? Is the vanilla actually weak or is there a lack of sweetness? If there was more sweetner do you think the vanilla flavor would be enhanced?

My point is that perhaps in the US we have come to expect a more dramatic flavor in our desserts (flavors that are magnified and enhanced by sweetners (sugar) and/or salt (in other foods).

mascarpone

Edited April 6, 2004 by mascarpone (log)

Moopheus · April 7, 2004

Come to think of it, if they would just sell the shell, they'd do fine.

One of the wife's coworkers was in there and actually saw someone try to buy just the shell, which they refused to do, holding up the line for several minutes. The manager claimed it was 'corporate policy'.

We got to try them the other day. There was a line out the door, but it moved fairly quickly, so not a long wait. Agree that they were messy--they tasted good but might have liked a little more pastry, a little less cream filling.

Suzanne F · April 7, 2004

This flavor issue concerning the vanilla custard is an intriguing. Out of curiosity... do you think the weak flavor might instead be a more subtle flavor? Is the vanilla actually weak or is there a lack of sweetness? If there was more sweetner do you think the vanilla flavor would be enhanced?
My point is that perhaps in the US we have come to expect a more dramatic flavor in our desserts (flavors that are magnified and enhanced by sweetners (sugar) and/or salt (in other foods).
mascarpone

I would think that the less-sweet cream would allow the vanilla to come through more strongly on its own. But it doesn't. And to me, vanilla is what enhances sweetness, not the other way around. (I was very happy that the cream was NOT overly sweetened; sorry if that did not come through clearly.)

alanamoana · April 7, 2004

According to my girlfriend, mothers would purchase "shoe creams" for their children as a less expensive option to more expensive pasteries on trips to bakeries, supermarkets, and department stores.

do the japanese actually spell it "shoe" cream? when i first read your post, i was a little put off as i was just reading how everyone thought the flavor could use a little push...i mean if you're infusing shoes in the cream...hehe

"choux" meaning "cabbage"

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