HENRI – French Bistro Boulangerie by Folks Behind Bread & Hearth!

By the same folks behind Bread & Hearth and SOURDOUGH FACTORY, HENRI is both a bistro and boulangerie serving authentic French cuisine.

It is clear that the owners and the staff have a passion for interior design — little details like the ceiling, even down to the table napkins were a team decision. The cozy interior is adorned with floral wallpaper, and is bathed in warm lighting. The space houses their own pastry and baking room. All their breads are freshly made in-house every morning, with the chefs starting work from as early as 3 am.

To start off, I had a Butterhorn ($3.70), which can be both a savoury or sweet pastry. HENRI’s take was the latter, with a cinnamon sugar roll-in croissant dough. Butterhorn is typically shaped like a mini croissant, so it was nice to see theirs in a unique heart shape. The butterhorn would be a hit with butter lovers(like myself)! The butter flavours were pronounced, while the cinnamon flavours were rather mild. The crumble on top gave it an added textural component which I enjoyed.

Of course, I couldn’t come to a French cafe and not have a classic Croissant ($3.50). Sadly, the croissant was on the denser side; I’d prefer them to be fluffier and lighter.

For a twist, I ordered the Almond Croissant ($4.50). This was one of my favourites. The house-made almond cream with rum that filled the croissant was delicious, and it had the perfect lightness without being too rich for a breakfast fix.

I also tried the savoury Bacon Jam Focaccia ($7.10). The flavours of the focaccia came together like a beautiful medley. The house-made bacon jam lent a smokiness, that paired well with the sweetness of the onions, and savoury cheese. Although the price was on the steeper side, the focaccia was actually rather filling, so some might find it fairly priced.

Taking pride in roasting their coffee beans themselves, HENRI’s coffee is brewed with an Elsavado and Columbia bean mix. Notes of nuts and chocolate were prominent in both the Flat White ($5.50) and Latte ($5.50). The run-of-the-mill coffees weren’t spectacular, but might be a nice pick-me-up if you’re in the area.

More than just a boulangerie, HENRI is also open for lunch and dinner. I can’t wait for my next visit to check out their extensive French wine list and menu!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.