Beard Papa's - Los Angeles

Some foods are the product of fusion, but Beard Papa’s cream puffs are not. They’re just borrowed. The classic French cream puff, profiterole, or choux a la creme is a classic. It’s been featured everywhere, from the gourmet patisserie to the grocery store freezer to the casual county fair, and at Beard Papa’s, it’s in the small, innovative hands of the Japanese.

I really didn’t expect to LOVE this dessert when I purchased it from an Osaka-based bakery featuring a white guy with a beard, but I do LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE the Strawberries & Cream Cream Puff. The cream filling is light as a feather and a lot less sweet that what you get from most French/American bakeries, and the chewy pastry shell is quite good.

When we borrow, we take a good idea and make it our own. We fuse, we invent, and best of all, we innovate. And whether we find new tastes, new flavors, or just a slight spin on a household name, there is always a thrill that comes with tasting something just a little bit different. And while Beard Papa didn't exactly reinvent the cream puff, they did put a slight spin on the best cream puff I’ve ever had.