NYC Jew here. I recently tried my first bagels from Hey Bagel and was seriously disappointed. They were all SUPER dense and heavy which completely ruined the experience. Did I just get a bad batch?
Bummer! I'm hopeful you just got a bad batch. That hasnt been my experience but also totally cool for preference differences. What's your go-to NYC bagel place (and Seattle bagel)?
Hey, thanks for the reply! I’m from Riverdale in the Bronx where my favorites are Bagel Corner and Riverdale Bagels. In the city I’d have to go with Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company.
You really got me excited when I read we have a new #1! COULD IT BE? Well, about 2 weeks later I got a baker's dozen, variety of flavors, scallion cream cheese.
WOW. You were not exaggerating a bit! These are absolutely terrific and the poppy is badass! I generally like poppy but it usually seems like for show and not flavor. The salt really enhances it and it's just enough/not overkill. Toppings on all bagels is pretty perfect. Sesame seed had a little topping retention issue but within acceptable limits. (unlike Zylberschtein's). Plain bagel aside - Little Market still won the crunch game for me but Hey deserves it's #1 spot. Bravo.
The everything was prob the best I've had. I fed my wife while she was driving and the "tough tear" you mention - yup. She now has probably 40 seeds scattered throughout her car. Worth it.
No, not the traditional experience, but it's pretty common out here and trendy in general. Ideally I'd always prefer traditional bagel dough and smells, but in this instance it didn't bother me or take me out of the experience.
Well, this is exciting! I'm still Team Bagel Oasis, because I would include the difficulty of actually buying a bagel as part of the rating, and would have to knock off some points here. But I look forward to trying some when I can buy them.
I just picked up a dozen this morning, and wow. These taste ... rich, almost buttery? My wife says she isn't getting that, so I'm not sure what I'm detecting, but I like it. My favorite were the plain and salt, with a solid crunch to the crust followed by just the right amount of tear and chew; the sesame and poppyseed were great for tear and chew, but I missed the crunch. Although well done on the seed coverage and retention! The everything wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but still quite good. I think I like my everything mix to be a little more onion-forward. The faint smell of fermentation, which I'm guessing is the sourdough you're smelling, was a little weird, but I could get used to it.
So, yeah. In my personal ranking, I'm still going to put this neck and neck with or just a hair below Bagel Oasis, even though Bagel Oasis has a much lighter seed hand and is sometimes inconsistent in quality, for two reasons: Bagel Oasis has a pumpernickel bagel, and I can get them whenever I want, right down the street, as long as it's before 4pm. It took me a month to get a Hey Bagel order, and I'm not going to say it wasn't worth it, but that does figure into how I'd score it.
On pure quality, though, dang. I think the plain bagel is the best bagel I've ever had.
I love Hey Bagel! To me they are not traditional NY bagels but I would eat these everyday. I love the texture and the taste.
I'm with you!
NYC Jew here. I recently tried my first bagels from Hey Bagel and was seriously disappointed. They were all SUPER dense and heavy which completely ruined the experience. Did I just get a bad batch?
Bummer! I'm hopeful you just got a bad batch. That hasnt been my experience but also totally cool for preference differences. What's your go-to NYC bagel place (and Seattle bagel)?
In Seattle I’ve found nothing that compares…yet.
Have you tried Bagel Oasis?
Not yet!
Keep me posted!
Hey, thanks for the reply! I’m from Riverdale in the Bronx where my favorites are Bagel Corner and Riverdale Bagels. In the city I’d have to go with Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company.
You really got me excited when I read we have a new #1! COULD IT BE? Well, about 2 weeks later I got a baker's dozen, variety of flavors, scallion cream cheese.
WOW. You were not exaggerating a bit! These are absolutely terrific and the poppy is badass! I generally like poppy but it usually seems like for show and not flavor. The salt really enhances it and it's just enough/not overkill. Toppings on all bagels is pretty perfect. Sesame seed had a little topping retention issue but within acceptable limits. (unlike Zylberschtein's). Plain bagel aside - Little Market still won the crunch game for me but Hey deserves it's #1 spot. Bravo.
The everything was prob the best I've had. I fed my wife while she was driving and the "tough tear" you mention - yup. She now has probably 40 seeds scattered throughout her car. Worth it.
Love it!!
Sounds great, but “ sourdough-y smell” shouldn’t really be a part of the traditional bagel experience, am I wrong?
No, not the traditional experience, but it's pretty common out here and trendy in general. Ideally I'd always prefer traditional bagel dough and smells, but in this instance it didn't bother me or take me out of the experience.
Well, this is exciting! I'm still Team Bagel Oasis, because I would include the difficulty of actually buying a bagel as part of the rating, and would have to knock off some points here. But I look forward to trying some when I can buy them.
I just picked up a dozen this morning, and wow. These taste ... rich, almost buttery? My wife says she isn't getting that, so I'm not sure what I'm detecting, but I like it. My favorite were the plain and salt, with a solid crunch to the crust followed by just the right amount of tear and chew; the sesame and poppyseed were great for tear and chew, but I missed the crunch. Although well done on the seed coverage and retention! The everything wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but still quite good. I think I like my everything mix to be a little more onion-forward. The faint smell of fermentation, which I'm guessing is the sourdough you're smelling, was a little weird, but I could get used to it.
So, yeah. In my personal ranking, I'm still going to put this neck and neck with or just a hair below Bagel Oasis, even though Bagel Oasis has a much lighter seed hand and is sometimes inconsistent in quality, for two reasons: Bagel Oasis has a pumpernickel bagel, and I can get them whenever I want, right down the street, as long as it's before 4pm. It took me a month to get a Hey Bagel order, and I'm not going to say it wasn't worth it, but that does figure into how I'd score it.
On pure quality, though, dang. I think the plain bagel is the best bagel I've ever had.
Love the commentary and I think that all sounds very fair. The bar has been raised!