bagels + schmear — Restaurant in Hertsmere

Having been to B Bagel in London (if you know you know) this had a tall order to fill and fill it did!

Came for a quick lunch, wasn't that difficult to find. Upon entering I was warmly welcomed by the server behind the counter who knew I was a first timer and instantly provided guidance on what to order. Noticing the menu and the various cream cheese selections behind the counter it soon became clear on how one constructs their ideal bagel. You first pick your bagel type (I went with the everything because why not?), then your 'schmear' which is a generous spreading of whichever cream cheeses they have have on offer (I picked the jalapeño). You then pick any optional extra toppings (I chose smoked salmon) and then you decide whether to have it either toasted or not toasted (if you're a heathen). The server advised I try a few samples before I chose which was extremely helpful (although still very difficult to choose!)After a few minutes of prep, my glorious creation was ready.

It was well worth the wait. Price wise, yes, it's expensive. I think you can see the freshness and quality of the bagels themselves but also the fact that the cream cheese is from a local dairy.

It was £9 for my bagel which could get you nearly 3 Tesco meal deals (or is it two nowadays? #cozzylivs). But what I will say is that this one bagel provided wayyyyy more than 3x the satisfaction of 1 Tesco meal deal.

So, if you're in the neighbourhood and crave a bagel, then you are committing a cardinal sin by not...

REPLY TO COMENT 31.05.22 - Thanks for the reply. Just wanted to add that I’m actually American and lived in New York for 7 years which ironically is where the basis of my review stems from. On both visits the bagels were eaten on the same day, in-fact within minutes of purchasing. I appreciate your ingredients may differ and therefore this could explain the bread like texture/taste.

The bagels are more like regular bread. They don’t seem to have the chewy texture of a proper bagel, instead the consistency is just like a bread roll. Maybe they don’t boil the bagels first or maybe im missing something? I gave benefit of doubt before writing this review and returned for a 2nd time just in case it was a bad batch but it doesnt appear so. I would also add that the prices are high. The store has many positives. A good verity of fillings, bagels are huge (potentially too big), and they season both sides which is great. Unfortunately we just didn’t think they...

"New York Style" Bagels. 1960s British Service. At 2022 Inflationary Prices.

We love bagels and thought we'd give it a try.

We came with 2 small children and asked if there was anywhere to sit - we were told to sit at a table behind a nearby barn. So be advised: you'll not be able to "eat-in" on a rainy day.

OK - we'll cope with that. Next came the ordering. We were all starving and the grown ups were desperate for coffee. Perhaps the owner was having a bad day, but a very simple request was turned down flat. No discussion. No attempt to see if our needs could be met another way.

I'd have been sympathetic if the place was full, but we were the only customers.

So we went to Brass Monkey in Radlett instead. Superb service, great coffee and delicious food. All delivered without the pretentiousness...