Can I find a good Tampa bagel at... Sesame
How does The Big Guava measure up when it comes to bagels?
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“A bagel isn't a mock doughnut or just a hardened roll with a hole in the middle,” reads a 1996 column in the Tampa Bay Times.
It’s a strange piece that presents a made-up origin of the bread (‘beygals’ existed in Poland long before the Battle of Vienna in 1683) and seems to infer that locals might confuse bagels with donuts because of their shapes. I’m not entirely sure what the point of the column is, other than to say that bagels were losing their cultural Jewish identity, which remains a common discussion point now.
The piece summed up my concerns about Tampa’s bagel literacy before a recent visit. They know what they are, have a vague sense of where they came from, and know there’s something Jewish about them, but that’s about it.
A brief search of bagel news around town included many articles heralding the arrival of iconic NYC bagel chain H&H, which only further concerned me. While H&H was a formidable bagel shop back in its day, the current version is just a corporate factory bagel chain trading on that goodwill. It’s exactly the kind of crappy bagel company that drives me insane and is certainly nothing to get excited about.
After some research, I identified some solid potential bagel shops for review. The top pick was Bagels Plus, which is unfortunately closed due to damage from a fire. Another top contender was Brandon Bagels, which was quite a bit outside of town. The same goes for New York Bagel, which was a little too far away. The only non-chain bagel place I could identify in Tampa proper was Sesame, a neighborhood shop in Hyde Park. So that’s where I ended up.
Let’s find out how it went.
And if you want to know how I define a good bagel, you can find that here.
WHAT I ORDERED
Plain bagel as-is ($3.00)
Everything bagel with scallion cream cheese ($5.00)
THE EXPERIENCE
Hyde Park Village is a “modern oasis for discerning shoppers, travelers and Tampa residents looking for the very best” according to its website and I would say that seems to sum up the vibe well. It felt like even the retail stores had valet parking. Tucked on a side street, Sesame maintains the stylish, high-end feel of the area. Inside, it’s more akin to a chain retail setup than a mom-and-pop shop.
UPON FIRST GLANCE
Looking over the baskets before ordering, I sensed that the bagels were more factory-line than hand-rolled. It also seemed like the seed hand here was a little soft across all the seasoned bagels. I also noted the basket of rainbow bagels, which usually tells you something about the kind of shop you’re in.
Schmear options ranged from the usual (scallion, jalapeno) to the wacky (cookie monster, chunky peanut butter). There was also a whole menu board dedicated to sandwiches.
TOP
The plain bagel was large and featured a massive center. The coloring on top was light brown to brown and was very shiny and uniform all the way across. There was no blistering present. The top was soft but firm to the touch.
The everything bagel was also on the larger size and featured an extremely big center. The top was golden brown on one side and light brown on the other. It was firm to the touch as well. There was a very weak seed hand at work here. For a place literally named after a seed, I was surprised by how few were on the bagel. The massive center was filled to the brim with scallion cream cheese.
BOTTOM
The bottom of the plain was blistery and golden brown but very soft to the touch. While there wasn’t a full Cornmeal Ring of Doom (CRoD), there was some present.
The bottom of the everything bagel was crinkly but soft to the touch. There was a smattering of seasoning strewn about and a slight CRoD. The texture was curious in most places, having a somewhat pocky feel. The large center was completely filled with scallion cream cheese.
INSIDE/BITE
The plain bagel offered an easy, bready rip. The bite offered no texture and the flavor could've best been described as “blank.” It ate like your average factory bagel and left no discerning mark. It was a flavorless bread ring.
Biting into the everything bagel, the blankness of the bagel came through despite the ungodly amount of scallion schmear involved. I’m all for a solid schmear application but this was way too much. While not overly oozy, the sheer amount of cream cheese meant it went everywhere with every bite. The giant glob in the center wasn’t very appealing either. There were hints of scallion flavor in the schmear but it lacked punch overall. The messiness eventually got so annoying that it made me want to stop eating.
The bagel itself shared that same blank flavor profile as the plain and the minute amount of seasoning added nothing. A colder and sturdier schmear might have helped the overall eatability but the lack of flavor coming from any aspect of the experience undercut it.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Sesame did not come as highly rated as some of the other bagel places in Tampa and I feel like I understand why. For a Seattle comp, the bagels were on par with Blazing Bagels or Einstein Bros. I’m looking forward to checking out some other spots one day but I don’t imagine I’ll be back at Sesame the next time I’m in Tampa.
Is It Good Enough For The Goys?
While I was there, Sesame received a steady stream of customers, many of whom appeared to be coming from the gym. I’m guessing there’s one nearby and not that people were viewing this as a workout session. By all accounts, the store was doing brisk business on a weekday morning, so it looks like the Tampa crowd is all about it.
Is It Good Enough For Northeastern Jews?
Based on what I’ve read and heard about Tampa’s bagel places, I’d suggest starting with Bagel Plus (when they reopen), Brandon Bagel, and New York Bagel to see if there’s a good option in town.
OTHER FLORIDA BAGEL REVIEWS
Bagels & (Boynton Beach)
Clear-Water Bagels (Clearwater)
You can see my full rankings here.
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Check out El Bagel in Miami