So in great anger and distress I left the apartment in a huff and came down to Whole Foods for their free wi-fi. And to tell you about bagels. Most people in this city have their 'favorite bagel' place. I am currently searching for mine. My favorite when I was at NYU was Bagel Bob's on University Place. But that was before I realized just how many bagel places operate in this city. So for now: I do not have a favorite. I am a bagel nomad. Many people call Murray's their favorite. This oat bagel with strawberry cream cheese above is from the Murray's on 6th Ave (they've also got an 8th Ave location). They put in so much cream cheese, it's insane. And not insane in a good way. But insane, as in, literally, nutso kind of way. There's honestly enough cream cheese for two more bagels. I love cream cheese, I really do. But this is a case of too much of a good thing. They don't toast the bagel here, either. It's supposed to be a testament to their freshness. But you know, when you eat a bagel the minute it comes out of an oven, it does not need to be toasted. Cause it's super fresh and awesome. But once it sits out for an hour or two, it needs to be toasted prior to a slather of cream cheese. Granted it's still fresh. And still a good product.
But it's no longer crispy. The heat of the bagel is no longer present to aid in the gradual warming of the cream cheese. You don't want super cold cream cheese. Nor do you want melted cream cheese. You want that in-between state. Which can only be found when cream cheese sits on a toasted bagel for approximately 30 seconds. Clearly, this is not my favorite bagel. As far as quality goes, it's an excellent product. But for me, it is only a, gasp, okay bagel. I bet if they toasted, and cut down on the cream cheese by 50% I would looove this bagel. But they didn't and they won't. So I don't.
Let's talk about something I do love. This place right off Bayard in Chinatown offers some of the best food deals in the city. I come in the summer and in the winter. And I get the same product each time. In the winter I get it warm. In the summer I get it cold. And it's only $.75 for a big cup! What is this mysterious product?
Dofu-Fa! teehee :) I've never met anyone who doesn't like dofu-fa (and I hope I never will). Because it was hot today, I had it cold. It's such a delightful treat and just the perfect size. The chilled ginger-honey syrup is packed in a separate container for you to pour at your desire. Pour it all one, I do, and spoon it up, one happy mouthful of cold sweet tofu pudding after another. Breakfast? Lunch? Something in-between? Any and all of the above. It's the best $.75 you could ever spend.
Moving up and away from Chinatown, back to the East Village, let me introduce you to the chocolate chocolate (yes, the word �chocolate� appears twice) cookie at Build a Green Bakery over in the East Village.
This baby is fantastic! It�s a big, flat disk. Crisp edges, soft and somewhat chewy innards. But most importantly: super chocolately! The chocolate chips in here aren�t just chocolate CHIPS. They�re more like melted shards/discs of dark chocolate. Just magnificient1 The wonderful thing about this cookie is that while it�s big and mighty, it wouldn�t leave you sick like eating a whole Levain cookie in one sitting will. Granted, the Levain cookies are much heavier, though not necessarily greater in circumference, but the fact remains. You can eat the whole Build a Green Bakery cookie in one sitting and still feel pretty darn good. Why, you just might have room for another dessert!
Now that I�ve brought up Levain Bakery, I should probably tell you about my breakfast there the other day. No cookie. But Cinnamon-Sugar Brioche.
It just looked so beautiful standing tall and mighty standing in a glass jar. But naturally, looks are more often than not, deceiving. And such was the case. The brioche dough was heavy and dry. Brioche is supposed to be light, buttery, simply heavenly.
But this was none of the above. There was such a thick layer of flour stuck to the bottom of the brioche, a knife would have been necessary to scrape it all off. The dough was simply folded with a thin layer of cinnamon-sugar. It�s browned quite nicely. Beautiful to look at. Not to eat.
I'm off to get an afternoon snack now. Don't know where or what, but I'm sure it will be good. Dinner with Robyn at Grand Sichuan tonight, more phone calls to Ikea and I'll see you tomorrow! :)
Murray's Bagels
500 6th Ave.
NY, NY 10011
(646) 638-1335
Fong Inn Too Inc.
46 Mott St
New York, NY 10013
(212) 962-5196
Build A Green Bakery
223 1st Avenue
NY, NY 10003
Levain Bakery
167 W 74th Street
NY, NY 10023
(212) 874-6080
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