Beard Papa Creme Puffs, London

All good things come to those who wait. So goes the saying. A friend had blogged about the arrival of Beard Papa’s just before Christmas, and I was determined to try these delicious sounding vanilla puffs. So I set off for Oxford Street. In my inimitable style I’d neglected to make a note of the address and I was slightly vague on the name. I think I’d figured my food radar would somehow just get me there. I even called directory enquires and shouted at the operator when they told me that “Papa Bears in WC1 doesn’t exist”. Yes, I am that stupid.

So I went home empty cream puff handed.

The puffs slipped from my mind until yesterday when I was thinking of a treat for a friend who wasn’t feeling so good. This time I knew the name and that it was on Oxford Street, as I’d spied the bright yellow facade as the number 73 crawled past one day. I’ve always hated the new bendy buses, but never so much as when we were stalled outside a provider of cream filled choux pastry and I couldn’t get off. Bring back the RouteMasters, I say.

But yesterday I finally got my paws on these puffs! You get five for six pounds in a cute little yellow box. The nice waitress asked how long it would be before I ate them (clearly not recognising my greasy weasel tendencies as I had planned to scarf a couple on the tube, but she shamed me into saving them until I got see David) and kindly popped an ice cube into the box to keep them cool on the journey. As one of those people who finds it hard to sleep with snack food in the house, I cannot tell you how frustrating it was to wait to get my hands on my first Beard Papa puff. But it was worth it.

I love the packaging and I love the product. The contrast between the cool, thick, creamy custard and the short, crisp choux bun was a delight. There’s even contrast on the bun with the powder sugar coated, thin top and the thicker, crispier base. The word on the street is that the vanilla is the best flavour, but I shall be back to try their chocolate éclairs, which they claim are coming soon.

I love them so much I went back the next day for more. Everyone in my office loves me now.

Beard Papas: Corner of Oxford and Berwick Street, opposite the Plaza shopping centre.