Seattle's Oxbow: The 2024 Review
How are the bagels these days at Sea Wolf's Montlake sibling?
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The first time I reviewed Oxbow was in 2022. The second time was in 2023. So it only makes sense to head back to Montlake for the 2024 update.
Over the years, this Sea Wolf offshoot has made for a fascinating bagel journey. Some constants have been the crispy exterior, flavor-forward schmears, and salt-heavy seasoning mix. However, changes and evolutions have occurred, as the bagel exteriors, seed hands strengths, and rye flavor have fluctuated.
My read on Oxbow from afar is that they’ve evolved into a true neighborhood cafe and bakery. Their social media feed is just as likely to promote pizzas, biscuits, sandwiches, and cookies as it is bagels (and they all look pretty good!). The bagels remain front and center when you enter, but they’re part of a larger offering.
It’d be easy for quality to suffer as attention gets spread elsewhere, but I actually think it’s the opposite for them. If anything, I get the distinct feeling they’re always playing around with their flavor profiles and dough mix. You can see the differences over time when you compare their 2022 and 2023 bagels, let alone the 2024 version.
Speaking of, let’s dive in and see how things have changed (or not changed).
And if you want to know how I define a good bagel, you can find that here.
WHAT I ORDERED
Plain bagel as-is ($3.45)
Everything bagel with scallion cream cheese ($6.05)
THE EXPERIENCE
Admittedly I stopped in on a holiday but Oxbow was jammin’. There was a line to the door, most of their seating was filled, and the coffee bar was in perpetual motion. The display cases were stacked with good-looking pastries, cookies, and bagels, amongst other items. And it just felt like everyone here was a local, either picking up their usual or shuffling their kids through for breakfast.
Oxbow continues to have a solid collection of bagel flavors, though one that stops short of second-level flavors like jalapeno cheddar (but they do make a pumpernickel). They also boast robust schmear offerings.
UPON FIRST GLANCE
Looking over the bagels in the display case, I was reminded that their bagels look pretty solid. They always have a nice color to them and plenty of crackles and textural lines running all over. Having downgraded them after my last review, I wondered if I was going to be eating some crow (after eating bagels).
TOP
The plain bagel was slightly small with a medium center with a nice light golden brown color on top. There were lots of crevices and textural points visible. The top was firm with whisps of a crinkle. In fact, the whole bagel felt firm but light. I imagined that I could whip it across a pond and it would skip for a long time (please don’t try this).
The top of the everything bagel was a good size with a tight middle. This too featured a light golden brown coloring across the top. There’s a medium seed hand at work, with some haphazard attributions of each seasoning item. As they always have, they include caraway seeds and salt (AS GOD INTENDED) in their mix. The bagel top was firm but soft to the touch.
BOTTOM
The bottom of the plain bagel had a lovely dark brown and golden brown coloring. It was very firm and somewhat knockable, crinkling when pressed on. There was no Cornmeal Ring of Doom (CRoD) present.
The bottom of the everything bagel was firm and knockable in spots, just like the plain. It was also seeded, which is always appreciated. No CRoD here as well.
INSIDE/BITE
The plain bagel offered a tough, crinkly rip. The bite was crispy and there was a medium rebound afterward. The bottom offers a nice crunch. The interior was a bit dense, however. In the past I said the interior ate more like bread than bagel and that remained true. That said, the rye flavor wasn’t as strong as last time. Instead, there was a taste I can only describe as “blank.” Ultimately, it was an enjoyable chew but I wish the inside was fluffier and more flavorful.
With the everything bagel, let’s start with the scallion cream cheese. It offered some really good flavor. Not only was the scallion mixed in but there were a plethora of bits throughout, which is always fun. The schmear application was solid. Thanks to the cream cheese being cold, it oozed slightly but mostly held in place after each bite.
The salt really popped in the seasoning, though as with previous visits, I would argue it overpowers everything. While the seasoning and schmear combine for a ton of flavor, the bagel itself can’t quite match that flavor. There’s a dryness to the interior that seems to mute the experience while chewing.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Oxbow bagel has definitely evolved since 2022 but I would say that it’s still held back in a lot of the same areas as the one from 2023. The salt is wildly out of balance in the seasoning mix. The rye-based interior takes you out of the bagel experience. It’s not quite the “rye bread in bagel form” it used to be but the flavor profile remains off, or at the very least, adds an unnecessary distraction to the eating experience. I appreciate the crispiness of the exterior and enjoyed the scallion schmear, but I think this one remains in the middle of the pack for now.
Is It Good Enough For The Goys?
As I’ve noted before, the modern Pacific Northwest vibes, coupled with copious amounts of pastries, pizza, and coffee, make this a great neighborhood spot that’s more than just a bagel joint. You can just tell that it’s a local haunt that feels like it’s been in the community way longer than it actually has. I think it’ll be there for a long time to come.
Is It Good Enough For Northeastern Jews?
Oxbow has carved out a path for itself in the Seattle bagel scene and it clearly has its fans. There are far worse bagels in town for sure. There’s a lot to like about what they’re doing but in the words of Terrence Fletcher, it’s not quite my tempo.
MY SEATTLE BAGEL RANKINGS SO FAR (11/11/24)
Hey Bagel - 1st visit
Little Rachel’s (Lake City) - 1st visit
Toasted (U District) - 1st visit
Loxsmith Bagels (West Seattle) - 1st visit
Rubinstein Bagels (Eastlake) - 1st visit
Rachel's Bagels & Burritos (Ballard) - 1st visit, 2nd visit, 3rd visit
Macrina Bakery (Capitol Hill) - 1st visit
Cafe Argento (Capitol Hill) - 1st visit
Eltana (Wallingford) - 1st visit
Westman’s (U District) - 1st visit
Blazing Bagels (Ravenna) - 1st visit
Einstein Bros. Bagels (U Village) - 1st visit
Dingfelder’s (Capitol Hill) - 1st visit
Cafe Solstice (U District) - 1st visit
Kelly’s Cannoli (Magnolia) - 1st visit
Bagelbop (Pike Place Market) - 1st visit
You can see my full rankings here.
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This might be the most my personal preferences have differed from yours! I really did not like the last few Oxbow bagels I got, and would've much rather had some from Westman's. Though maybe *just* a little of that hate was an extension of me being a little upset about Oxbow's being $3.45 as-is to go.