Lately, it has expanded to become a neighborhood cafe serving breakfast and lunch, and the pancakes are absolutely to die for. I thought I'd regret ordering eggs plus pancakes and that I'd never be able to finish both. A taste was all I needed. Beau Soleil is the creation of the wife-husband team of Holly Hadsell and Moumen El Hajji. Their approach in Kaimuki has homespun appeal, like having a few friends over for a cozy lunch or dinner.
Guests bring their own wine, sit back and relax.
They wouldn't have it any other way in Manoa, although the new bakery and cafe is a hipper establishment, like those corner coffee hangouts one finds scattered throughout old neighborhoods in Portland and Seattle. FOR lunch, there are several wonderful sandwiches, large enough to be shared by two for the budget conscious. This had the bite of spicy pepper Jack cheese. I settled on a salad of black beans and corn, arugula with gorgonzola and hummus, the Middle Eastern chickpea spread. I could live on this combination every day.