Bagel Review: What's A Bagel

What's A Bagel
11112 Flatlands Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
/ 5 Bagels

---

Located just west of my new office in a strip mall that features Dunkin Donuts, PathMark, and a store with Cyrillic print that I couldn't read (yet), this Old World-style shop offers more than the typical bagel store fare. While "What's a Bagel" [sic] may not answer to the Bais Din of Crown Heights, the deli-and-more store certainly holds its own without the assistance of a higher authority.

The bagels are remarkably lightweight, given the (peculiar) physics of their construction. Yes, they look like regular bagels: brown, round, with a whole in the middle. Let me explain. If the bagel were a basketball (notice the use of the subjunctive, Mr. Schutz), I would have a tough time palming it. And that's not because I have little hands. So, we've established their size. Second, the skin has that particular pliability where one can rip off a piece and still need to pull again for that piece to really break off. (If you want an analogy, I'm sorry; I can't think of one. It is not similar to the cheese strings stuck on your pizza, though). But, on the inside, there are air pockets of all sizes to give the bagel a light, caky, almost-Tuscan bread-style appearance.

For 60¢ /per, the bagel, by itself, is considerably filing. Add a free shmear of butter, and you got something, my friend. Cream cheese will run you the standard $1.50. But, if you'd prefer something with a little more protein, add an egg, any style, to your bagel for just $1.10, total! Or, if you'd like to outfit yourself for a week, pick up a bag of "day olds" for only $1.50. These "day olds" come in both sorted and assorted styles. Oh, and you can get bialys (sp?) (those large, flat, baked bagels) or challah rolls, too. With Dr. Browns in the fridge, who can go wrong.

Grade: B+
The atmosphere and price are hard to beat. But, with no seating, and located near the Southeast corner of Brooklyn, eating in or stopping by are not recommended unless you have lots of time for travel (or, a car).