It's 10:15 am at our local popular Dunkin Donuts and there is a long line.
I'm in line for two bagels, coffee and some munchkins. I patiently wait for about 10 minutes and when I finally get to the counter to place my order they're out of multi-grain, blueberry and everything bagels.
How or why they're out of this many bagels is beyond me. However, we were very very annoyed.
We walked out, discouraged and began pondering other options. Our day was really riding on eating at Dunkin Donuts and now that was no longer available we needed to think of something quickly.
Then, out of thin air a historical local bagel shop floated into my head. If you're local it's likely you have heard of it, Clearwater Bagels.
It's a small bagel place in an old, worn down plaza off the side of a busy street. The signs are all faded outside and unless you were looking for it you would probably drive right by.
In high school we used to go to Clearwater Bagels all the time, but it's been many years since I was last there. The parking is limited and the restaurant itself can probably only fit about 10 customers inside.
As soon as you walk in you're greeted by baskets of freshly baked bagels and on the wall near the door are old reviews of the bagel shopped that have turned yellow over time.
There is nothing exciting about Clearwater Bagels. There are no discounts, deals or special bagel breakfast sandwiches. They just serve bagels and they have no shame in doing it. However they do 2 things that are very special indeed: their cream cheese and bagels are made fresh in store every day.
We placed our order and the owner and his side kick employee got to toasting our bagels and spreading their magnificent cream cheese over them.
As they were making our order I wandered around the small area and started reading the old articles on the wall. One photo in the article looked like the owner and I asked him, "Hey is this you?" He half laughed and half grunted under his breath and said, "Yes but that's from a long time ago." I couldn't seem to help myself so I asked how long ago it was. His response? "Are you 30? If not, then I've been making bagels since before you were born."
Wow.
Making bagels since before I was born....there is something to be said about a restaurant that has been in business for 30 years. When he handed us our bagels and I took my first bite I suddenly knew why.
They were amazing. Crunchy on the outside.....moist and chewy on the inside. They tasted fresh, homemade and the cream cheese was absolutely perfect. The recipe tasted like it had been 30 years in the making.
The first sign that something is amazing is when no one is talking while your eating.....there was complete silence in our car as we ate and drove home.
Finally when we were done I was the first to break the silence. "Thank goodness Dunkin ran out of bagels, we're never going back there again."
Bagels are a very special breakfast food. For a long time, Dunkin has always been my favorite....but they didn't deliver and now I'll probably be going to Clearwater Bagel a lot more often.
Everyone has their favorite bagel place, what's yours?
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Bagels Since Before You Were Born
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Oh Dan,
ReplyDeleteI fully understand the power and the allure of the perfect bagel shop. For me, in Virginia, my bagel shop is called Chutzpa. Its a Jewish (hold the comments) deli and bakery. I love their bagels so much, that often during undergrad, my mother would mail me a dozen or so of their bagels because there was no comparison. So yes, I love the local bagel shop. It is a classic establishment that should never fall to the dreaded mega chains!
Dan,
ReplyDeleteI know of a bagel place if your ever in the USF area of Tampa you need to experience, it's called Bagel's Plus and it's on Fletcher. Just like you I grew up eating and loving Clearwater Bagel. The first time my wife wanted to go to Bagel's Plus, I remarked it couldn't be better than Clearwater Bagel, but it is. Imagine if someone created a place with a selection like Einstein's Bagel's without the nasty corporate feel, and rubbery bagels. Then have the owner be a surly Russian and his daughter's. This is bagels plus everything is fresh and amazing.
Thanks
Kyle
P.S. If you ever find yourself in Volusia County, I'll tell you about the coffee shop that will make you cry every day you wake up and aren't able to have it.
Clearwater bagels is probaly the best
ReplyDelete.
einsteins is to expensive (and not worth it).
Dunkin is good but usually ut of one or more types of bagels.
Panera(even though you hate it) has REALLY GOOD BAGELS! and another plus for panera is the different types of cream cheese (strawberry, regular and more.strawberry's the best)
i use to go to Clearwater Bagel early on saturday mornings before rehearsal's...i should start going back...thank you for reminded me how good Clearwater Bagels is
@Kyle - I definitely need to check out Bagels Plus. What's the coffee place called that will make me cry because I can't have it?
ReplyDelete@Jeremy - Clearwater Bagels is an American Institution, period.
I LOVE Einstein's Spinach Florentine bagel and DD's Multigrain bagel, but Collegetown Bagels in Ithaca by far is the most fun bagel place I've ever been to.
ReplyDeleteAs for other bagel shops that should be considered American Institutions, too, there's Brooklyn Bagels and Better on a Bagel, both on Long Island. They don't get crazy, they really only carry your usual bagel selections. But when I'm looking for a tasty breakfast sandwich, those are the places I head to.
I know that a restaurant running out of items is a source of endless irritation to you. The problem with a big chain restaurant trying to be all things to all people and provide a fresh product is that they're also trying to manage cost, so they're not going to be allowed to bake an infinite number of each kind of bagel. Unfortunately, they have to do sales projections based on past sales numbers, what I like to call a "guesstimate", and so you might sell 23 Everything bagels 360 days a year, but one day someone will come in, totally out of the blue, and order six dozen everything bagels, and then, bang, you're out. Then you come in, and they are out of what you want. I'm not saying that's OK, I just know from experience that that's how it happens. However, you take a real bakery, or a local bagel shop that ONLY does bagels, and they have the ability to make tons of bagels in every flavor because they're not balancing 75 other menu items, all with a corporate watchdog looking over their shoulder telling them they're making too many everything bagels on Thursday because on this date last year they only sold 22. So my point is, go for the local places every time.
ReplyDeleteJeremy, just FYI, Panera's cream cheese is raspberry, not strawberry. Please everyone do not go in and insist they have strawberry cream cheese. Wait...on second thought, do.
ReplyDeleteCoffee place that would make you cry = Bagel King on Deltona Blvd in Deltona, Fl. Bagels are second only to Bagels Plus but their whitefish spread is top notch.
ReplyDelete