THE CENTER OF THE BAGEL UNIVERSE (Dyker Park Bagels)

My search for the best bagels in New York continues….

After my Saturday afternoon in the far reaches of Brooklyn, I’ve come to the conclusion that Bay Ridge just might be the new neighborhood for bagels. Of course, it all started on the Lower East Side, where Polish Jews brought bagels to New York (and America). Aside from some classic institutions that still remain (Russ & Daughters, Kossar’s), the bakeries have moved elsewhere.

For the last 30 years or so, the Upper West Side was where you could put together a walking tour of bagel shops thanks to the concentration of authentic bagelries. But now that H & H has officially closed and Columbia Bagels no longer exists, there aren’t as many serious options up there (although Absolute and Tal Bagels are nothing to sneeze at).

So where do you go now for a full on bagel adventure? I may have hit the jackpot with Bay Ridge. And unfortunately (due to a long, inconvenient train ride), my work here is not yet done. Besides the two bagel shops I’ve already hit, there’s also Brooklyn Bagels, Bake Ridge Bagels, and the newly opened Bagel Schmagel. I think I’ll skip the local Dunkin’ Donuts, thank you!

After a successful nosh at Bagel Boy, I decided to walk a bit to the the neighboring community of Dyker Park. At least I think I was in Dyker Park. I’m not very familiar with this area, and while the Iphone told me I was still in Bay Ridge, the name of my second bagel shop, Dyker Park Bagels, made me think otherwise. It was a quaint little shop in a quaint little neighborhood.

The owner was joking with a regular in a very sarcastic Brooklyn style. It had a welcoming, fun feeling that made me want to sit down and spend some time. But alas, this place doesn’t have any tables or chairs, which surprises me since there seems to be enough room. Maybe there’s a law in Bay Ridge that you can’t have a seating area in a bagel shop. So, I had to take my bagels and find a bench somewhere.

I started with their Whole Wheat Everything, which had a nice restrained balance of seasonings and a dark malty flavor. This really reminded me of a dark whole wheat pretzel with just a hint of sourness. The texture was right on with a gorgeous crunch and a chewy finish. The only complaint was they may have been slightly heavy handed with the cream cheese.

When I bit into their Plain bagel, I had an unexpected sensation. This bagel was sweet. And not the malty, molasses sweet I’m used to, but an actual candy-like sweetness. It was quite subtle, but there was no mistaking the sugary flavor at the end of each bite. Some people might claim it’s too sweet, but I quite enjoyed it. I found it very interesting and not over-the-top and it was mellowed out with a schmear of cream cheese. The bread was a bit airy and light and was missing that wonderful crunch. But the flavors were complex and the texture was soft and chewy. I thought this was a unique bagel and quite successful.

I was surprised to learn this place is also open 24 hours. I imagine most people in the wee hours are ordering their famous Chicken Ridiculous sandwich (fried chicken, bacon, fresh mozzarella, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper) rather than a bagel with cream cheese and lox. Yet this is Bay Ridge, the new neighborhood of the bagel. So I wouldn’t be surprised if people eat them all night long.

Does Dyker Park Bagels have the best bagels in NY? They’re part of the great bagels in Bay Ridge so they get an 8 out of 10, although some might complain their bagels are a little too sweet. Yet I thought that’s what made them so tasty.