Perhaps the simplest gift of continued patronage is how customers are showing their affections for Fendu Boulangerie, a charming bakery cafe marking its sixth year of serving Oahu’s grateful gourmands.
And if you ask owner and chef Niel Koep just what keeps his clientele coming back, he’ll tell you it’s Fendu’s high-caliber quality and uncompromising cuisine that sets it apart.
Proof of the bakery’s prowess can be seen (and tasted) in its Sundried Tomato Cheese Bread ($5.85 regular, $3.85 petit). The made-from-scratch French sourdough is infused with sundried tomatoes, and enjoys a decadent dusting of Parmesan oregano. Fendu’s Wednesday special of the month — and a perfect pairing for any of the eatery’s savory soups — Koep assures that, “If it sells well, we’ll make it a part of the regular menu.”
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- Sundried Tomato Cheese Bread ($5.85 regular, $3.85 petit)
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- Macarons ($2.25 each)
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- Spicy Chicken Cilantro Pizza ($12.25 for 8-inch, $18.75 for 14-inch)
Spicy Chicken Cilantro Pizza ($12.25 for 8-inch, $18.75 for 14-inch) also serves as evidence of Fendu’s excellence, presenting house-baked dough that delivers just the right mix of munch and chew. Topped with macadamia nut pesto, goat cheese, fresh mozzarella and chicken tenderloins, the pizza pie also incorporates tones of cilantro and Sambal (a garlic chili sauce that sends taste buds into another stratosphere).
“This pizza is perfect because it’s not real hot, but simply enriched with the herb’s refreshing flavor.”
And as any celebration demands a delicious dessert, Fendu’s French Macaron ($2.25 each) fetes the occasion marvelously. Purist fans will be pleased, as Fendu’s version of the classic French almond cookie is effortlessly light and crispy on the outside, and sinfully sweet and soft on the inside.
Accepting no imitations, Koep explains to Dining Out just what is the test of a true macaron. “When you bite into it, you know what flavor it is immediately,” he says with a laugh. “No one will have to tell you!”
And that’s great news, because we already are too busy munching away, we probably wouldn’t hear them anyway!
Fendu Boulangerie
Manoa Marketplace
2752 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu
988-4310
Monday-Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sunday, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
2752 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822
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