Bagels

[GregD]

My wife is a big backer of the French toast bagels they stock at a couple of coffee shops out in UCity/West Philly (Sam's and Green Line.) They taste a little odd to me but are tasty. Partly, of course, this is because she's unimpressed with any plain bagels in the city, there or elsewhere. This being the same reason she orders toppings on pizza in Philly but not plain back home in Brooklyn.

[Sfuffy]

You've got to give props to any bagel bakery that offers only sesame and poppy seed bagels because they were "the only two varieties that existed over 40 years ago." No onion, garlic, or salt, let alone such atrocities as blueberry and french toast.

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Forty years ago (and then some) I was enjoying salt bagels from Watson Bagels in Irvington NJ. (They had moved there from Newark). They may not have had salt bagels in Montreal, but they did in NY and NJ.

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Of course, I just found it interesting that they're so tradition-bound that they won't even expand their offerings to include what most would consider the most traditional bagel varieties.

(And it turns out that salt and plain were the two original Watson Bagel flavors because other toppings would burn in their blazing hot ovens: Watson Bagel.)

[achevres]

I live near Delancey Street Bagels, but prefer NY bagels on City Ave/Haverford Ave in the strip mall behind the McDonalds (7549 Haverford Avenue 215-878-8080).  I do not think they are "boiled" but IMHO they are the best in the area, and the bialis are excellent (closed Saturdays).

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I just had bagels from NY Bagels and agree that they are the best in the area. All they sell are bagels (and some bagel sticks), spreads and drinks. Mine were hot off the oven. I didn't see any bialys -- I'll ask next time.

"Closed on Saturdays" a good sign, IMO.

[Capaneus]

I live near Delancey Street Bagels, but prefer NY bagels on City Ave/Haverford Ave in the strip mall behind the McDonalds (7549 Haverford Avenue 215-878-8080).  I do not think they are "boiled" but IMHO they are the best in the area, and the bialis are excellent (closed Saturdays).

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I just had bagels from NY Bagels and agree that they are the best in the area. All they sell are bagels (and some bagel sticks), spreads and drinks. Mine were hot off the oven. I didn't see any bialys -- I'll ask next time.

"Closed on Saturdays" a good sign, IMO.

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Seeing this thread pop up reminds me that I spotted Rolings bagels in the little greengrocer's at 20th and Rittenhouse (Sam's?). Didn't get any, so not sure if they are as good as they were last I had them, a couple of years ago. If the quality's held up, they are the standard hereabouts. If, that is, you like your bagels boiled, crusted and gnarled, like they used to make them in the shtetl.

If you like them puffy-pillowy and doughy... sorry to hear it.

[KitchenMom]

Rolings bagels are as good as ever, IMO. I live near there and get them frequently. They are chewy and gnarly as ever, by far the best in the region, as far as I'm concerned.

[JanMcBaker]

Seeing this thread pop up reminds me that I spotted Rolings bagels in the little greengrocer's at 20th and Rittenhouse (Sam's?). Didn't get any, so not sure if they are as good as they were last I had them, a couple of years ago. If the quality's held up, they are the standard hereabouts. If, that is, you like your bagels boiled, crusted and gnarled, like they used to make them in the shtetl.

If you like them puffy-pillowy and doughy... sorry to hear it.

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Wow!! They sound like the real deal! I was getting ready to try my hand at making my own. Haven't had a real bagel in ages!

[mrbigjas]

Seeing this thread pop up reminds me that I spotted Rolings bagels in the little greengrocer's at 20th and Rittenhouse (Sam's?).

maxx's

[Bobby 2 Shakes]

I brought some NY Bagels (2 salt, 2 sesame, 2 egg) to Linda & Jerry Mullane at Pig Daddy's BBQ in Drexel Hill. They're both NY natives (he's originally from Inwood, she's originally from the Bronx) and were recently lamenting the sad state of bagel affairs in this area (Hot Bagels has new owners and changed their bagels), so after reading this thread I brought them some NY bagels from Haverford Ave at City Line at the strip mall next to the corner McDonald's.

They were especially impressed that the salt bagels had both sides salted.

[MikeyTree]

I'll add some fuel to the fire.

If only we had a real Montreal bagel...

http://www.stviateurbagel.com/index/page/s...19f935f6560e4c3

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Ahh, I miss Montreal bagels. I'm from Toronto originally, and there are several excellent Montreal-style bagel bakeries there. Montreal bagels are a lot lighter than NY bagels, with a extremely thin crisp crust and a soft chewy inside, somewhat like a good fresh soft pretzel. They're a little bit sweet, and they're cooked in wood ovens, so they have a light smoky flavor in them as well, plus the taste of the toasted sesame or poppy seeds coating them.

I miss them, and gorge myself whenever I go back to Toronto to visit.

[Andrew Fenton]

I'll add some more praise for New York Bagels. If you live in Center City, it's a schlep out there, but it's worth it. I've been a couple of times now, and been very impressed. Most recently, I arrived at 6:45 AM, right after they opened (don't ask) and scored a dozen hot bagels: crusty and tough, but oddly light-textured. Good stuff.

[Andrew Fenton]

I checked out Spread Bagelry this morning. I don't know from Montreal bagels, but these were as described: a little smoky and a little sweet. The sweetness I could do without, but the wood oven gives them a nice flavor. One of the three I bought was a little burnt, which I guess is a sign of its artisanal character but really, I could skip that too. Also, $2 for a bagel? Oy. Or I guess, "yo."

Oh, and Sarcone's now has bagels on weekends. They taste like what they are: an Italian bakery's interpretation of a bagel. So, matte rather than shiny and less dense than a classic bagel. They're good, not great, but still, it kind of makes me happy that Sarcone's is making them.

[zeffer81]

I checked out Spread last week as well. Bagel was decent; definitely not as breathtaking as I was expecting. Prices, however, were pretty breathtaking. $5 for bagel w/smoked salmon cream cheese with no discernible salmon flavor. Pluses--coffee was delicious, friendly employees and the space is airy, sunny and comfortable.

[Tim Dolan]

I was there yesterday morning and totally agree with you, the bagel was just ok and not some awe-inspiring thing. Also, $10 for two bagels, one with butter and jam and one with cream cheese, and a coffee is relatively steep. I guess it's cool if you're in the area but I won't be going out of my way to get back there.