IS BIGGER BETTER? (Terrace Bagels)

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

There’s no question that bagels have gotten bigger over the years. Originally, when the Bagel Bakers Local 338 union had control of all the bagels in the city, none were bigger than 3 ounces. Now, they are often more than double that size. Is it a case of bigger being better? Generally, I don’t think so. I’m happy with a smaller, denser specimen with a modest amount of cream cheese.

But the one argument I can understand for big, plump bagels is when you’re using the bread to make a sandwich. And that’s the reason why Terrace Bagels’ are quite larger than the bagels at the nearby Bagel Hole. Terrace has a wide range of Italian meats, speciality salads, and even a full lunch menu at the sit down cafe next door. If you’re going to put meat between your bagel, you want a bagel that will hold everything in place. And the bagels here are the perfect combination of Italian roll and traditional Jewish bagel.

The Italian owner, Louis Thompson, has been making bagels the old-fashioned way (chilling the dough long enough to form a crust, poaching them in water, and then baking) for years and is a favorite of the residential neighborhood of Windsor Terrace. They’ve also recently opened up a shop in Freehold, New Jersey.

There wasn’t too big of a line when I came at my usual off-time. The guys working the counter were fast and friendly and since I didn’t really want to sit down and order from a menu (there are no seats in the separate take-out spot), I got my plain bagel and headed to one of the benches outside the nearby Prospect Park.

I was amazed at how much of a crunch the bagel had. I love the juxtaposition of crunchy, crisp bite opening up to a soft, doughy center. Strange to compare the three, but I love that sensastion with french fries, falafel, and bagels. Nothing like a crispy exterior and a tender interior. The bread had a slight salty, sourness to it, but it was fresh and doughy and plump.

I also settled on a sesame mini bagel (since they were out of the everything option) with cream cheese on it. The schmear was sharp and cheesy – nothing unusual. The sesame seeds could have used a heavier hand and the mini bagel was more airy than the full-size one. But it still had a nice soft chewy center. I appreciate that Terrace Bagels offers the mini option. I understand the desire for a large bagel when it comes to loading it up with salami and turkey and the like, but a mini in most cases is fine for me.

And while most bagel shops nowadays make their bagels bigger due to lack of precision and a faster production, Terrace Bagels has a good reason and, remarkably, they’re still soft and chewy without being overly cakey and sweet. And I can only imagine how good some of those Italian meats taste on this Jewish bagel.

Does Terrace Bagels have the best bagels in NY? They’re plump and large, but maintain a perfect crunchy exterior and soft, chewy interior giving them an 8 out of 10.