The Bagel Alliance

In which I pay tribute to the underrepresented and under-appreciated elder brother of the overrated doughnut.

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This Just In! (TJI!)  Charlie’s Bagels: Guest Review.

Charlie’s Bagels (Portland, OR)

Charlie’s Bagels is a reminder of the Portland dream. In the same alley as Voodoo Donuts, look for the hole-in-the-wall during the day and get there before 3PM. You can enjoy your boiled or steamed bagel by the ‘Keep Portland Weird’ wall and skip that silly line for an overrated donut.

Everything Bagel (Toasted with chive cream cheese schmear): Fresh ingredients and a hearty, filling grain.

Taste: 8/10

Chew: 7/10

Bang for Buck?: Lil snap, $3 for a bagel. $5 for a bagel with spread.

Additional notes: I was impressed with the generous spirit the owner had, especially in a hotspot of activity. There did not seem to be any lines forming. It really is a hole-in-the-wall just like Voodoo used to be. Go enjoy a hot toasted treat, and maybe consider donating one, too!

Review by Augie J.

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La Baguette (Ashland, Oregon) Whole Wheat Mini Bagel - $1 These little ones were all different shapes and sizes, so pick the biggest one to get the BFYB. Bagels are boiled, according to an employee. "I just impulse-bought a bagel the size of a child's palm. It was $1.00. I got awkward and paid $1.00 tip. Questionable life decisions." Tasted a bit like salty wheat bread... If you're feeling peckish, it's worth it. If you have some disposable income, also worth it. Taste: 7/10. A nice wheat bread. Chew: 6/10. Fair, but didn't seem to have that chewy, slightly crisp outside... Were they truly boiled first?! Where's the cornmeal bottom? ARE WE SURE THIS ISN'T JUST ROUND BREAD?! Bang for buck?: Not unless you're into novelty/tiny things.

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Spielman Bagels (Portland, OR) Well, the "Multigrain" bagel-- yes, they use quotation marks on the sign-- LOOKED promising, but it was only pretty standard. Don't get me wrong-- it's not a bad bagel. It just wasn't the best I've had, and you all know how I love my whole wheat bagels. Technically, Spielman doesn't have a whole wheat option, so this one is the closest thing. The flavor was fine, but despite the bagels being fresh (supposedly) it was a bit tough and a little too dry for my liking. The others I bought didn't hold their moisture well. I'll have to give them another go next time I head north. "Multigrain" bagel: Taste: 7/10 Chew: 6/10 Bang for buck?: Not really. Unless you're really hungry.

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Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels (Portland, OR) LET ME JUST ANNOUNCE MY NEW OBSESSION. This. Place. Is. The. Real. Deal. Boiled bagels with moisture and flavor locked in. BAM. So New York-styled that they're clearly Portland bagels-- you probably hadn't heard of them yet... ;) Okay, seriously, though. The atmosphere was so relaxed and unassuming, the staff and patrons were quirky and genuine, and the whole wheat bagel I introduced to my taste buds was OFF THE CHARTS DELISH. Yeah, I was worried about the thinness of the bagel at first... But it was remarkably filling, had a phenomenal flavor (savory and hearty with touches of honey) and made my day. Hearty Whole Wheat bagel: Taste: 10/10 Chew: 10/10 Bang for buck?: UM... Y E S

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Izzy's Brooklyn Bagels (Palo Alto, CA) Chocolate Chip bagel, Wheat bagel Chocolate chip: This bagel wasn't super chewy, but had the texture/chew of a soft pretzel. Somewhat doughy, but not overly so. The flavor, though? AWESOME. Even a bit creamy! On-par with Little Shop of Bagels' version in Ashland, OR-- but you get more bagel for your buck at Izzy's! The chocolate chip distribution was alright-- not quite as great as Little Shop's but much better than Posh's. Essentially, eating this bagel was like an adventure-- I never knew what combo of texture and flavor I was going to hit next. Chocolate chip: Taste: 9/10 Chew: 9/10 Bang for buck?: Yes! Wheat bagel: I also grabbed a wheat bagel to eat the next day. Day-old bagels are harder to judge, but the flavor was solid and the texture was moist and chewy. Not too shabby. Wheat bagel: Taste: 7.5/10 Chew: 9/10 Bang for buck?: Yep. Additional notes: My buddy Preston's egg bagel was underwhelming, however. The older man with the beard working the counter = awesome.

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Main St. Bagels - Mariposa Shopping Center (Santa Clara, CA) Chocolate chip bagel: A bit dry (but I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt because, let's be real, it was almost 5). Not a whole bunch of chips, which bummed me out. Chew was okay, but the outside was oddly hard and smooth-- as in super shiny smooth. A bit bready. Not a remarkable flavor, but not bad. 6/10 Blueberry cream cheese- pretty good with real blueberries! Imagine that! ($2.75 on bagel, bagel is $.99) Important note: Amazing cream cheese selection like honey walnut, sun-dried tomato/basil, raspberry etc. Whole wheat bagel: Pretty darn tasty!-- very mild, almost creamy, good chew, a bit dry 8/10

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Just a reminder that life is solid. :)

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Cafe 116 Everything Bagel (Ashland, OR) 12/15 This is one of my favorite little cafes here in Ashland, and though it's a bit pricey, the hot chocolate is on-point, and that's pretty much all I need. The food is usually awesome, too. They make their bagels fresh in-house, and so I was obviously intrigued! They're small, but pack a significant punch, though not necessarily one that justifies the $2+ price. The chew and density is to die for, but WOW are these babies salty! I had a plain after the everything on a different day just to test, and it was still sodium heaven... Which frankly sucks, because the taste is wonderful yet undeniably muted by the saltiness. I'll try a cheese bagel next time, just to get a final verdict. Everything Bagel Taste - 7.5/10 (BUT TOO SALTY) Chew - 9/10 Bang for buck? - I'd say 'no' at this point

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Ahuva Bagels Apple Cinnamon Bagel (Medford, OR) A quick review for this one, as it was a quick test! Honestly, it was a bit of a letdown. I discovered no apple chunks in the first few bites (or most), and it was tough. Good chew as I got to the center, but nothing amazing. It was sort of "blah", and that's never something you want from a special flavor bagel! I think I caught Ahuva on a bad day (same outing as the Pumpkin bagel). Apple Cinnamon Bagel: Taste - 6/10 Chew - 6/10 Bang for buck? - Not this one...

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12/14/15

Ahuva Bagels Pumpkin Spice Bagel (Medford, OR)

I woke up craving a bagel, per usual, but knew I wouldn’t be able to get to one until the afternoon… Which was torture. But I made it to Ahuva Bagels (a local, Southern Oregon, New York-style bagels bagel place that I’d heard good things about) with my sister.

Pro-tip: Never go to this shop at 2:00PM. So many types were gone, and, to be honest, the bagels were a tad stale… Well, either that or they make a really tough bagel.

My pumpkin bagel (“Pumpkin Spice” probably because the top was coated in cinnamon sugar) was a pretty rough experience at first– the outside was hard, thick, and leathery (not something you want from a first-bite-impression with a New York boiled bagel), but I got past it enough to enjoy the flavor. And DANG was it a flavorful pumpkin bagel! Best pumpkin flavor I’ve had yet! Sweet and savoury elements, with the cinnamon-sugar not overdoing it. It was well conceived and creative in taste. I still can’t really let slide how my jaw hurt a bit after tearing through the rough exterior just to get to the soft chew on the inside (it was like a Taylor Swift song in a bagel). My sister noted the hard exterior of her sesame bagel and remarked that she didn’t see anything special about it. I tried it and agree it wasn’t mind-blowing.

But for $.99 you could do MUCH worse. And I’m hoping the downsides were all because they were sitting out a little too long (although a truly solid bagel is able to stay fresh with proper containment for a day).

I’ll be back a lot earlier next time and see if that changes anything. Trying an apple cinnamon I bought tomorrow!

Also: Real NY bagel ✔️ (cornmeal bottom indicator)

Ahuva Bagels Pumpkin Spice Bagel: Taste - 9/10 Chew - 5/10 Bang-for-buck? - yes, but they need to up their game in terms of outer chew! House of Bagels is a better deal in terms of product-for-price (but that’s in another state, so…)

UPDATE: 12/2015 Had one of these babies again, and this time fresh-- MUCH better! Chew - 7.5/10

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Little Shop of Bagels Spinach-Kale Bagel (Ashland, OR)

12/10/15

HOLY GARLIC, BATMAN.

It was an interesting find, but I have to be honest– I couldn’t take more than one bite: the garlic was overpowering for me! I can’t stand too much of the stuff– it has to be a tasteful balance that supports flavor but doesn’t bully its way to the front of the line.

Not my cup of tea, and could even be a bit strong for garlic lovers. Might be a good crouton, but definitely not a great bagel in terms of flavor ratios. The chew-factor was still impressive, however!

Spinach-Kale bagel: Taste - 6/10 Chew - 8/10 Bang for buck? - Sure, but I’m not going to get it again!

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Little Shop of Bagels Sprouted Wheat Bagel (Ashland, OR)

12/10/15 I was looking for a regular whole wheat bagel, but all they seemed to have was sprouted whole wheat– not that I’m complaining, since it was SUPER tasty. Dense, chewy, and flavorful. A bit branny. It was solid and reminded me of the artisan wheat bread I grew up eating from New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro (we just called it ‘Sammy’s Bread’).

It wasn’t anything overly special on its own, though– at least not compared to House of Bagels’ whole wheat bagel (made out of unicorn magic and baked by sparkling puppies), but it was great with tomato and goat cheese (I bought some goat cheese two days ago, and that little brick is almost done-zo)!

A solid choice, but perhaps best eaten with toppings or as a bagelwich.

Sprouted whole wheat bagel: Taste - 8/10 Chew - 7.5/10 Bang for Buck? - Yes, but put your own toppings on it, since it costs quite a bit extra at the shop!

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Little Shop of Bagels Chocolate Chip Bagel (Ashland, OR)

This is one of my all-time favorite bagels, and completely worth the $1.85 price, as it’s made with organic flour and stuffed with organic dark chocolate chips. I’ve never found a chocolate chip bagel with as many lovely melty clusters of delicious chocolate that contrast brilliantly with the more savory base. It packs a delicious punch and has a real-bagel denseness to it that makes me tear-up with joy.

I also got an assortment of other flavors this morning, so get ready for Little Shop updates!

Chocolate chip bagel: Taste - 10/10 Chew - 9/10 Bang for buck?: Absolutely, but $0.75 more than a regular bagel seems a bit excessive…

12/9/15

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House of Bagels Whole Wheat Bagel (San Jose, CA)

LET ME JUST INTRODUCE YOU TO POSSIBLY MY MOST FAVORITE NEW BAGEL… The House of Bagel bagel.

Particularly the whole wheat bagel.

Whole wheat is extremely underrated and misunderstood. Touted by many as “for health nuts and losers”, it’s not the most popular, although it’s getting there.

But OH MY OH MY THIS BAGEL. Let me just paste my ecstatic in-the-moment notes here:

12/4/15 A dozen bagels (freshly made) for $9.99!!! Out of chocolate chip Tiny establishment Cheap!!

My whole wheat naked was phenomenally flavorful in itself. Amazing texture and chew… I was a little devastated when I finished the last bite. The bran and flavor OMG. How will I live without these when I go back to Oregon?! And ONLY $0.99!!! Boiled, cornmeal bottom (real bagel indication). Prime.

Whole wheat bagel: Taste - 10/10 Chew - 9/10 Bang for buck? - YES YES YES

—-

Everything Bagel (Mark’s take on it)

I went with my friend Mark, since he traded me a bagel for a pass into a holiday culture faire. Totally worth it. Here’s what he (and I) thought about the everything bagel:

Everything Bagel: Mark is feeling “amazing, ecstatic”… He’s never had a bagel quite like this… I tasted it: it has all the elements… And it’s so flavorful.

He had it toasted with cream cheese! The cream cheese seemed a bit overpriced, though. Still good!

—-

Plain bagel

The plain bagel was great, but as you all know (because SO many people read this thing…) I’m not a #BasicWhiteBagel kind of person (sorry, I had to). But I needed to test it out to give it a chance.

It was the best plain bagel yet, but not nearly as flavorful as the whole wheat bagel. After the first few test bites, I slathered on some Mara Natha peanut butter and went about being happy.

Plain bagel: Taste - 8/10 Chew - 9/10 Bang for buck? - Yep!

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Noah's Bagels Pumpkin bagel (Santa Clara, CA) Here's Noah's pumpkin bagel I mentioned in the Cramer's egg bagel post. It was on the smaller side, bread-like, too light to satisfy any sense of hunger, and without much pumpkin flavor, to be honest. Not impressed! Especially for the price. Still, went there on a date, so the date paid... Meaning I got a free bagel and I was happy for THAT! Pumpkin bagel: Taste - 5/10 Chew - n/a (toasted, but it wasn't substantial enough for any real chew factor, in my opinion...) Bang for buck? - NOPE

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Cramer’s Bagels

Pumpkin bagel

(Santa Clara, CA)

Here’s that pumpkin bagel from Cramer’s I mentioned in my previous post! Ordered naked for first impression, of course. Toasted, because I wasn’t thinking properly when she asked, so I can’t give a definitive analysis on chew… But the flavor was very pleasant and not over-the-top. Plus, the bagel was GIANT.

Pumpkin bagel: Taste - 7/10 Chew - n/a Bang for buck? - Absolutely, in terms of size!

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Cramer’s Bagels Egg bagel (Santa Clara, CA)

This wasn’t my first time at Cramer’s, as it’s right across from campus, but it WAS my first time having an egg bagel!

It was really fresh since it was the early morning, and overall not bad… But for some reason, the bagel seemed to have a bit of a mildly bitter/stinging aftertaste that I noticed a few bites in. The flavor was good as a first impression, but I ultimately couldn’t get past the lasting impression and ended up composting the rest. And, if you know me at all, you understand how upsetting that is for me to have to do…

BUT I’m not giving up on Cramer’s, because their pumpkin bagel was absolutely giant and five-million-six times better than Noah’s (which is insubstantial and bready, like a lot of chain bagels).

Egg bagel: Taste - 4.5/10 Chew - 7/10 Bang for buck? - Yes for size, no for overall experience.