On an early Sunday morning, nothing is better than pleasing your taste buds with a fresh, warm bagel. With so many options at the New York Bagel Shop and Bakery, it is hard to decide which flavor will best please your appetite. To combat this, we have created a comprehensive review of eight of their finest bagels to help you navigate the difficult task of choosing your bagel.
Juliette: Plain Bagel:
The plain bagel embodies the beauty in simplicity. After pairing this bagel with whipped cream cheese, my taste buds danced with delight. The distinct roasted taste of the bagel balances perfectly with the subtle tang of the cream cheese, making the flavor far from boring. The taste of the plain bagel brought me back to my childhood. Growing up in a Jewish household, one of the classic foods you eat as a kid is the plain bagel, and if you are lucky, that bagel comes from the Bagel Shop. Closing my eyes and savoring the taste of this food item felt like a warm hug. It was perfect.
Daniel: Everything Bagel:
The Everything Bagel, or ‘ET,’ was one of my favorites, if not my favorite bagel from The Bagel Shop. This is a biased review, as the ET is my “usual,” coming from my favorite waitress, Lori. In my opinion, the ET is the classic bagel; it’s reliable and always hits the spot. Bursting with a harmonious blend of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and salt, each bite is a flavorful journey that never disappoints. The ET is a versatile bagel that reaches a wide variety of bagel enthusiasts. If you go to a bodega in New York and ask for bacon egg and cheese, there is a good chance that it’s served on an ET bagel. It’s rich with diverse notes of flavor, but it’s an established classic in the bagel industry. I enjoyed eating the ET. I mean, what can I say; when it comes to the classics, they never fail to impress.
Juliette: Rainbow Bagel:
Trying the rainbow bagel taught me never to judge a book by its cover. My inner child was brought back to life as soon as my eyes fell upon this magical-looking bagel. With all of its bright and beautiful colors, the bagel looked too fun to eat. Considering its vibrant appearance, I assumed my body would rush with sugar after my first bite. To my surprise, the bagel had no distinct flavor. It was just a plain bagel in disguise! While I adore the taste of a plain bagel with cream cheese, I felt betrayed by this bagel’s lack of sweetness. Had I known going into this tasting that the rainbow bagel was just plain, maybe I wouldn’t have been so hurt, but there’s no denying that my unicorn, princess, rainbow-loving self was disappointed by this imposter of a plain bagel.
Daniel: Challah Bagel:
The challah bagel was an exciting twist on the classic Jewish delicatessen experience. I did not know what to expect coming into this. I enjoyed it, but I can’t say I would order it again. Don’t get me wrong, the soft texture and slightly sweet flavor reminiscent of traditional challah bread were nice touches; however, when it comes down to it, the challah bagel was a tad too doughy for my liking. I couldn’t stop thinking I would have been better off with a regular slice of challah bread instead of a bagel version. While it was an intriguing experiment, I’ll stick to the tried and true classics next time.
Juliette: Salted Pretzel Bagel:
Chugging a glass of water from the Pacific Ocean would have been easier to digest than my first bite of the salted pretzel bagel. My nose crinkled, and my eyes slammed shut as my tongue rejected the bagel’s bitter and overpowering taste. After a few bites, I started to fear that the plethora of salt on top of the bagel would cause my body to bloat and expand larger than a balloon. While the cream cheese attempted to fight the overpowering flavor of salt, it was impossible to make the bagel taste any better. The bread was cooked to perfection, but it was hard to see the glass half full when I had to chug my glass of water immediately to fight the bagel’s salty taste. If you are a salt lover, by all means, try this bagel. If not, I would steer clear of this item.
Daniel: Sesame Bagel:
The sesame bagel was a significant disappointment. I didn’t have high hopes going into it, but I thought it would at least be decent. I get sesame seeds on my poke bowls so why wouldn’t I like it on a bagel? Boy, was I wrong. The sesame bagel is a severely downgraded version of the plain bagel, almost comparable to Spirit Airlines in regards to other airlines. Going into it, you don’t think it could be that bad, but the entire plane ride, you are stuck in an uncomfortable seat next to a crying baby. The sesame seeds didn’t taste like the sesame seeds that I got on my poke bowl, possibly they weren’t toasted. Needless to say, I do not recommend the Sesame Bagel.
Juliette: Cinnamon Raisin:
Delightful, sweet, and delicious are all adjectives I would use to describe the cinnamon raisin bagel. I was pleasantly surprised by the bread’s perfectly balanced, sweet flavor. The flavor is lovely enough to please a sugar craving but not too sweet to where you feel sick after devouring an entire bagel. While I enjoyed the cinnamon raisin flavor, I’m not sure I would order this bagel again. To any cinnamon lovers, I highly recommend the cinnamon raisin bagel. But to our sweet tooth readers, I think the French toast bagel is better suited for you.
Daniel: French Toast Bagel:
Let me tell you about the french toast bagel– it was hands down my favorite. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. The aroma of warm cinnamon and maple syrup hits you when you take that first bite, transporting you to a cozy breakfast table on a lazy Sunday morning. The sweetness of the bagel is perfectly balanced with a hint of savory goodness, making it the ideal treat any time of day. However, there’s one drawback – it’s a sticky situation; with every delicious bite, your fingers inevitably become coated in a delightful mess of syrupy goodness. However, it’s a small price to pay for the sheer delight of indulging in this heavenly creation.
