Pass the Puff

You know it, you've seen it. It's all over town--Beard Papa's. You've probably even stopped by from time to time and stood in line for one of the cream puffs, watched the guy behind the counter pump it full of vanilla or green tea cream, then proceeded to make a mess of yourself while devouring your puff. But, have you ever tried the little chocolate cake sitting next to the cream puffs? We hadn't, but thanks to a friend who picked some up for our last dinner party, we were finally properly introduced. Pop your cake in the microwave for a minute or so to heat it up. The cake has that dense, brownie texture while the chocolate pudding on the inside (yes, did we mention this is a chocolate lava cake?) is fudgy and delicious. This little bite of heaven is so good I'm told that some chefs have dressed it up and served it as dessert at parties, though we like it with just a bit of ice cream. For RMB10 a piece, you can't go wrong with this fondant au chocolat, but you can afford to have more than one.