What was I doing ordering a plain bagel?? That is very out of character for me.
Don’t worry – I am not going vanilla in my old age. I chose it because when I asked my usual “Which is the hottest?” question, it was unfortunately the only answer I got.
Granted, I’m sure all the other bagels (everything, poppy, sesame, etc.) would have been warm enough at Bagelworks. This is clearly a legit local bagel shop on the Upper East Side – one of the true neighborhoods for a New York bagel experience. But for some reason, I decided to be ultra-scientific and order the hottest, freshest bagel possible.
Not surprisingly, the plain bagel lacked a bit of flavor. It was soft and chewy as expected, but with an overwhelming amount of cream cheese I couldn’t taste much but the tangy dairy spread.
Once the bagel cooled a bit, it developed a nice crunch so perhaps I jumped the gun.
I could tell that Bagelworks had their bagel game down. They better with a name like that in a neighborhood like this. But I probably don’t need to tell you to get a little seasoning on that bagel. Apologies to vanilla lovers out there.
Does Bagelworks have the best bagels in NY? 7out of 10 for a hot out of the oven bagel (even if it was plain) that developed a nice crunch. Verdict is still out on their more unique toppings, but this is a confident local spot that deserves a visit if in the area.BAGELWORKS |
229 First Avenue (between East 66th and East 67th Street), Upper East Side (212) 744-6444 |
uppereastbagels.com |