TGI Time to Eat- Fendu Boulangerie with Fellow Bloggers
June 26th, 2009 by KristenThe first time I met Urban Mix Plate blogger Melissa Chang in person back in March, she exclaimed, "I know where you can blog about- that new Fendu Boulangerie that's opening in Manoa Marketplace!" I had been waiting to see what would pop up in that space previously occupied by Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, and was intrigued when I saw signs advertising the opening of the Boulangerie, specializing in bread and rustic gourmet pizzas. For one reason or another (even with friendly reminders from Melissa), I never got around to visiting the Boulangerie... until Thursday evening!
I had been meaning to get together and finally meet Real Life 101 blogger Kelli Miura for months, and had been wanting to talk story with Melissa as well (I'd only really met her once before) when I finally ventured into the Twitter world (I'm @lumbrum) a couple of weeks ago. All of a sudden, communication with Kelli and Melissa was even easier! Melissa tweeted, "Eh! Boulangerie!" and I responded, "Let's all get together " (or something like that), and a date was set.
We met at the Boulangerie and took a few minutes to just gawk at all of the European bread, pasteries, and dessert. Everything looked delicious!
Yea! I finally got to meet Kelli!
To help us decide what to order, Kelli and Melissa asked about the most popular pizzas (the Boulangerie also sells rustic gourmet sandwiches, but they are more difficult to share), and we finally decided on the cilantro chicken and hamakua mushroom mania pizzas
While we waited for our order, we snapped photos of the desserts (Melissa and/or Kelli will share close ups of these with you!)
This is the Cilantro Chicken Pizza with white truffle oil, sauteed shallots, tomato sauce, and brie cheese- Melissa favored this one because she loves truffle oil!
This is the Hamakua Mushroom Mania Pizza with alii, oyster, shimeji, and shitake mushrooms with fresh basil, oregano, and cracked blacked pepper- Kelli favored this one because she loves... mushrooms!
We all agreed that we would go back to the Boulangerie for the pizza- though I tend to favor a really loaded but simple ingredients pizza (you know, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, etc.), the crust at the Boulangerie was really something special. We were trying to describe it as we ate it- "great, rich bread flavor... and somehow light and clean." I'd definitely return for that crust!
We'd also return to try more breads and pastries... and the desserts!
Melissa treated us to a delicious tiramisu from the Boulangerie- it was beautiful and delicious, though we were at first a little surprised by its strong alcohol flavor
After dinner and several hours of getting to know each other "in real life," we parted, promising to get together and do it again soon. Any suggestions for our next dinner outing?
Fendu Boulangerie
Manoa Marketplace
2752 Woodlawn Dr. #5119
Honolulu, HI 96822
Pizzas are available from 11am to 6:45 Tuesday through Saturday and until 2:45 on Sundays
To place your order call: (808)988-4310
Tuesday-Saturday 7:30am-7pm
Sunday-7:30am-3pm
Monday- Closed
June 26th, 2009 at 5:37 am
Yay Kristen. So glad you got to meet up with Kelli (with an I) and Melissa. I've been following you folks on twitter (which @melissa808 got me hooked on
) You folks were having loads of fun.
Nice report. Pizzas look so good. Darn, now to find breakfast
June 26th, 2009 at 6:30 am
Good morning Kristen!
That pizza looks so ono, I got to check this place out for sure! masako would love the tiramisu, maybe tonight.
June 26th, 2009 at 6:58 am
LOL...glad we got Ynaku hooked on Twitter....M, you are next!
Kristen, that was fun! Looking forward to the next tweet up with you gals!!
June 26th, 2009 at 7:35 am
Kristen: It was really great meeting you and Melissa last night! The food was good, too. We should definitely get together again. Have a great weekend.
Ynaku: Thanks for remembering that I'm Kelli with an "i."
June 26th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Woo Hoo! The Female Triads!
We were just there on Sunday after a Father's Day lunch at Treetops (Paradise Park). I saw that place, but we went straight to Milano Freezer for dessert.
I told daughter #1 that maybe she should have a lolita gathering there. Fendu for lunch and Milano for dessert - although it would be hard to pass up the Fendu desserts. I know, Fendu for lunch AND dessert and Milano Freezer for take-home dessert.
Me, I think I'm due for a visit to Paisano soon.
Nice review @lumbrum!
June 26th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Yum! Those pizzas look amazing. Glad you finally got to meet Kelli--isn't she great?
June 26th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Kristen - sweet! a bloggers "tweet up"!
that's a nice pic of you and Kelli.
whoa! them pizza's looks like winnahs! did you folk finish them both?
and oh btw.....small world huh?
June 26th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Ynaku- Yes, Kelli and Melissa filled me in on Twitter during dinner! I had fun looking at Melissa's twitter messages of our time together when I got home!
June 26th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
M- Yes, take masako! Let me know how she likes it!
June 26th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Melissa and Kelli- Yes, it was a lot of fun! Let's do it again!
June 26th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Rodney- Wow, I like being a part of a triad!
Yes, I actually had to stop myself from heading over to Milano, but I was full from dinner! The only thing that was tricky about actually eating at Manoa Marketplace after taking out from Fendu is that they seemed to have to scrounge around for paper plates for us, and there were only a few tables under cover (it started to rain on us) available. We moved twice before finding a table where we could relax and chat! 
June 26th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Hi Caryn! Yes, Kelli's great!! I hope to have more blogger get togethers, I'd love to talk story with you, too!
June 26th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Opso- we didn't finish them both! We finished a little more than half of each one so we had almost a whole pizza left over
June 26th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
I stopped by there once to get a treat for myself. Great desert. I also had a sample of bread. Very good too. I did not even know that they have sandwiches and pizzas. Last night my son and I stopped by Boston's Pizza in Manoa to get a slice. Next time it will be Fendu Boulangerie. Maybe we will even bring the wife.
June 26th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
The pizza looks really good! Altho the toppings do sound pretty fancy...Wonder if there's any that I (and you know how picky I am) would like? In any case, I think I would have to try this place one day...
June 26th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
MB- I'm sure your wife would love it!
Er- Hmmmmm they do have a vegetarian pizza that I'd think you'd like- just simple, great ingredients. AND they have a garlic shrimp one, too. We should try it one day! I have to say... I love sausage on my pizza, so I did miss that.
June 27th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Wow, looks good! I wondered what filled the old taco bell/pizza hut space. Twitter people are awesome! =)
June 28th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
i love the cookies they have there...its really good! the pizza looks really yummy! i definately going to try it one of these days!
June 29th, 2009 at 1:15 am
looks delicious!! so nice that you, kelli and melissa were able to meet up and try someplace new!
i have to add this to my list of places to go in manoa! my husband and i tried asia manoa, which was great! and, last friday, the whole family went to milano freezer, after dinner at hanaki! yum! thanks to your reviews, we've been enjoying going back to manoa and trying all the places we hadn't been to yet!
July 1st, 2009 at 9:51 pm
snow- I'm so glad that you've enjoyed the food places in Manoa! We're lucky to have such good food in the neighborhood!
July 1st, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Ooooh, I've never tried the cookies there! Another reason to head back!
July 1st, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Keith- I agree! Twitter people are great!