The last time I went home to Long Island, my return flight was delayed. Although I effectively started my workday at 2:30 a.m. Pacific, I felt a little chagrined, arriving in the office close to noon. To distract my hardworking colleagues and preempt any resentment, I opened a bag of bagels I'd bought at the local bagel store near my parents' house and effectively couriered from three time zones away — and all was well.
In other words, few things make me happier than good bagels. The Bay Area's reputation for lackluster product isn't entirely deserved— something I dove deeply into last summer— but it's always good to have more options. Wise Sons, which has long had a superb bialy, has finally introduced its bagel, and proprietors Leo Beckerman and Evan Bloom are set to open Wise Sons Bakery & Bagel at 1520 Fillmore St. sometime in the next few weeks (or so I am told).
Now, about these bagels. I had a poppy and a sesame, both of which were positively slathered in their respective toppings. They're golden and plump, fighting back with just the right amount of chew, and a noticeable shine on the exterior — and bonus points for that. Inside, the texture was bready but not so homogeneous that there weren't air pockets. (I like a little assymmetry and irregularity; otherwise, just slowly kill yourself on Noah's.) Wise Sons' take a little effort to pull apart with your fingers or your teeth, and aesthetically, the only facet that comes up short is the hole. It's really not supposed to be there; my favorite bagels look as if they're swollen shut, like a black eye of deliciousness. But the best compliment I can bestow is that these bagels do not require toasting. A schmear of airy cream cheese is all you need.And having had two bagels, now I would like an everything...
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