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Food & Drink

Old Classic Has New Twist

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Photos by George Hunter.

Beard Papa’s cream puffs gives the traditional pastry new life with international flavors. Photos by George Hunter.

If you polled most Americans, they’d probably admit that they’ve never had a cream puff the way it was intended to be eaten — freshly made with quality ingredients. The dessert shop Beard Papas is ready to save the day.

Originally founded in Osaka, Japan in 1999, Beard Papa’s started as a small bakery and quickly grew to more than 400 locations in 15 countries and territories, according to a press release. It soon gained global recognition for its light and airy cream puffs.

The Peachtree Corners franchise, located at the Town Center, provides the perfect bite when you crave a little something sweet that won’t set your teeth on edge.

Co-owner Esteban Tan let his love of the desserts and his desire to spread his entrepreneurial wings send him looking for a way to become a part of the Beard Papa’s international family.

International background for global brand

The road to owning his own dessert spot winds a little for Tan. He’s originally from Taiwan, but his parents moved to Argentina when he was small. He met his now-wife at a sort of Chinese language school. Even after both families left for the U.S., the two stayed in touch.

“Her family moved from Argentina to Los Angeles and my family came here to Atlanta. So, because of that we were dating long distance. I would travel to LA …to see her while we were in high school and college,” he said.

Besides courting his future bride, Tan took in the cool franchises that didn’t exist back east — bubble tea places and one of his favorites, Beard Papa’s.

“There were all these different stores that we’d never seen around here. And they all tasted awesome,” said Tan.

It was a friend’s desire to get the Beard Papa’s treats back home in metro Atlanta that prompted Tan to look into starting his own small business. He was on a trip to LA with his new wife and some friends when one woman reminisced about the amazing cream puffs she’d had in China as a child. She said Beard Papa’s were just as good as the pastries of her childhood.

“I’m an accountant. I’ve been doing accounting ever since I started working,” said Tan. “But I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I always wanted to be able to be my own boss and run a business.”

When he discovered that the commitments of money, time and experience weren’t more than he could handle, his dream became a reality.

“I’m like, ‘why can’t we have a Beard Papa’s store here?’ It’s something different. …It’s not another donut shop or another cupcake store,” said Tan.

If you make cream puffs, will they come?

He contacted Beard Papa’s home office with the help and backing of two good friends from church. Since Atlanta is a hot market and Peachtree Corners has an attractive demographic, the franchise came on board in 2019.

Despite the fact that Beard Papa’s sells a low price-point item that not everyone has heard of, business is going great. So great, in fact, that Tan and his partners are opening another location in Duluth at the end of this year, or early next year.

“It’s near the Costco on Steve Reynolds and Satellite Boulevard,” said Tan. “With so much foot traffic at Costco, we’ve got to be able to lure in customers for our cream puffs.”

The international nature of the corridor has made both store locations perfect, Tan said. The cream puff, or choux pastry, is a French invention, but it has gained a lot of popularity in the last few decades among Asian markets.

Beard Papa’s adds non-traditional flavors, such as matcha, that one probably wouldn’t find in a typical French patisserie.

What has helped his business is the support he has received from the City of Peachtree Corners, Town Center Mall and other local entities that make this area a business-friendly place. “The new playground, the activities and other factors make this the perfect place to run a business,” said Tan.

Even though he’s opening another spot soon, Tan said he will let those grow before he looks into other endeavors.

Arlinda Smith Broady is part of the Boomerang Generation of Blacks that moved back to the South after their ancestors moved North. With approximately three decades of journalism experience (she doesn't look it), she's worked in tiny, minority-based newsrooms to major metropolitans. At every endeavor she brings professionalism, passion, pluck, and the desire to spread the news to the people.

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Food & Drink

H&W Steakhouse Opening in Peachtree Corners

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(Photography by Bruce Johnson)

Norsan Restaurants has announced the upcoming opening of its new restaurant concept, H&W Steakhouse. H&W is the third fine-dining steakhouse concept from Norsan Restaurants.

The company also operates Pampas Steakhouse in Johns Creek and Frankie’s The Steakhouse in Duluth. H&W aims to bring modern fine dining to Peachtree Corners with USDA Prime Steaks and a variety of seafood options.

H&W Steakhouse
Left to right, Martin Ramirez, COO of Norsan Restaurants, Thomas Minchella, Executive Chef of Norsan Restaurants

The restaurant was designed by architect Filipao Nunes out of Monterrey, Mexico.

“It fills us with great pride to be part of such an important project, which was designed to create an experience on par with the menu,” says Nunes. Our goal was to allow for elegance to shine in every single detail, staying faithful to the essence of the brand.”

Chef Thomas Minchella leads the culinary team at H&W and has served as Norsan Restaurant’s Executive Corporate Chef since 2020.

Chef Minchella, formerly the Executive Chef of McKendrick’s Steakhouse, looks forward to the opening and sharing his menu and creations with guests. He states, “Creating delicious food is my passion, creating a culinary staff is my ambition, and creating guests is my love!”

Norsan CEO Norberto Sanchez shares, “We are very excited to open our new concept H&W Steakhouse. Taking center stage at H&W will be handpicked premium steaks and a fantastic array of seafood offerings. Our hospitable and professional service team has one goal: to make our guests feel at home.”


H&W will soft-open late September with a limited number of reservations available.

Reservations will be available via Opentable and directly through the restaurant. Follow along on Instagram for the official opening date and ongoings @hwsteakhouse.


Source: H&W Steakhouse
Photography by Bruce Johnson

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Shah’s Halal Food Celebrates Opening in Peachtree Corners

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Images courtesy of the City of Peachtree Corners

Mayor Mike Mason, Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA), business professionals and community well-wishers joined the Hameed family, owners of Shah Halal Food, and staff to celebrate the opening of its new Peachtree Corners restaurant with a ribbon-cutting celebration and lunch event.

Khurran (Kay) Hameed shared, “At Shah’s Halal, we take pride in offering the highest quality, most authentic and delectable halal cuisine at a fair price. We are excited to bring our exceptional dining experience to Peachtree Corners.” 

In addition to dining services, Shah’s Halal also offers to-go orders and catering for special events.

Mayor Mason, along with PCBA Board Members Lisa Proctor, Allison Reinert, Suzanna Martinez and local business supporters were on hand. 

“The city council and I are delighted that you have chosen Peachtree Corners for your business location,” said Mason. “We are pleased to have this new restaurant available as part of our business-friendly city.”

Shah’s Halal Food is located at 5450 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 8B, in Peachtree Corners. Check them out at shahshalalfood.com/peachtree-corners/ or call 678-292-6426 to find out more.

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Good French Fare Now Closer Than Ever

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Photos by George Hunter

Henri’s Bakery & Deli opens a Peachtree Corners location.

“Un bon repas adoucit l’esprit et régénère le corps.”

That common French saying, “A good meal softens the mind and regenerates the body,” is gradually becoming a theme in this part of metro Atlanta. As the Peachtree Corners food scene expands its offerings, world-class cuisine is becoming more and more available.

For example, one can find the mouth-watering goodies of a French patisserie near the Town Center. Henri’s Bakery & Deli is one of the newest food purveyors in the area, but it has a long-standing tradition of quality and service.

A tasty history

French immigrant Henri Fiscus started his first bakery at the corner of 10th and Peachtree streets in Atlanta in 1929. He quickly became known for his inventive recipes and the attention to detail he paid to his customers’ needs and wants. 

That legacy led to several shops across the metro area with the newest location in Peachtree Corners, according to company literature.

Fiscus passed away in 1974, just one day shy of his 80th birthday, but his family has carried on the traditions and original recipes but has employed modern business practices to spread the quality throughout the area.

To keep consistency and streamline costs, all the products are baked at central location in metro Atlanta.

“We have one commissary, where all our products are made daily overnight. We get a delivery every morning at 6:00. So, whatever we need is freshly made for the day,” said Henri’s Peachtree Corners General Manager Tarik Aboudi. “We want to keep the recipe the same and make sure there is someone on top of orders.”

Aboudi, originally from Morocco, has many years of experience in this kind of food business. When the Peachtree Corners location was looking for someone to lead it, he’d been at a local family-owned bagel restaurant.

“I enjoy what I do here and like working with the company. It’s a good concept,” he said. 

Unlike the other company, the hours are a little more family-friendly to his lifestyle, with the eatery closed on Sundays and wrapping up daily service by 6 p.m.

And the location is just 10 minutes from his home. “That’s one of the reasons I came here,” he said. “I don’t want to work eight to 10 hours and then spend another two or three hours in the car.”

With Henri’s being local and family-owned, it appealed to Aboudi on many levels.

“Family-owned businesses have a different personality than many corporations,” he said. “People care more about their legacy, and you get to talk to the owners face-to-face. It’s more personal and it feels more like you are part of a family.”

Feast for the eyes and tastebuds

When you get right down to it, the food is what brings people back.

“There’s a good selection of fresh pastries,” said Aboudi. “I was raised on fresh pastry and one of my favorites is the Napoleons.”

Of course, you can’t call yourself a French pastry shop without eclairs and croissants — sweet and savory. And although the name is French, Henri’s has lovely Italian fare like tiramisu and Greek baclava.

There is plenty to choose from for everyday eating, but Henri’s also provides sandwiches, salads and desserts for special occasions. “We have these little, small cakes with a flower on top called petit fours. Also, there is shortbread; that’s been popular for years and years,” said Aboudi.

There’s a wide selection of cookies, too — chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and a specialty called the ‘Mediterranean’ that’s gluten-free, as well as classic favorites like snickerdoodle and gingerbread people.

But wait, there’s more!

Breakfast sandwiches — with a bagel, croissant or toast base — come with eggs, cheese, bacon, chicken sausage, ham and/or cream cheese. For those looking for classic Southern fare, there are several types of cheese straws and wafers with chives, jalapenos and other tasty ingredients. 

Aboudi stressed that you’ll not find a more delicious cake anywhere. “Our cakes come in a lot of different sizes and flavors. You can get a six-inch round to a full sheet cake,” he said. 

Southern favorites, like red velvet and coconut, to modern twists, like cookies and cream and peanut butter, are just a few choices on the menu.

If you have a hankering for something different, customers are encouraged to work with Henri’s staff through the online form, by phone or in person, to build the perfect cake for their occasion.

For customers who just want to run in, grab something and go, there’s a refrigerated case with pre-made sandwiches and salads.

“We try to accommodate customers on every level,” said Aboudi. “We already are seeing a lot of business and we are getting good feedback.”

Henri’s Bakery & Deli is located at 5005 Peachtree Pkwy., Ste. #820 in Peachtree Corners. Visit them at henrisbakery.com/peachtreecorners or call 470-282-3349. Their current hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

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