For over two months now I have been on the Paleo diet: no grains or gluten have passed my lips. I have not even been tempted to cheat (well, tempted, yes, but I have not succumbed). No pizza, no french bread, no batter fried calamari, no hamburger buns. But I knew when we planned a day in New York for the wedding that the jig was up. I knew it wasn’t even worth fighting. I debated a bit in my mind but it was all just for show. I knew that once we arrived it would be a matter of moments before I went around the corner to Bagel Bob’s. Yes, literally around the corner from my sister-in-law and brother-in-law’s apartment is a little hole in the wall place that has the best bagels in New York, not to mention lox, herring, whitefish and assorted other mouthwatering delectable. To be fair, Tal Bagel is also outstanding, and my son and sister-in-law both swear by Ess-a-Bagel, but Bagel Bob’s is my favorite.
The place is always bustling with a long line squeezed into the narrow space by the glass cases. But there are always 5 or 6 men behind the counter working a gracefully choreographed dance between the cutting board, the toaster and the cash register so that you never have to wait long. You do, however, have to know what you want and speak loud and clear so you don’t hold up the people behind you in line, all on NY time, ready to grab their coffee and breakfast and move on for the day. I spent much of the 4 hour train ride down deciding what exactly I would order, what combination of taste and texture would do justice to this first –and only? – cheat. Would it be an everything bagel or pumpernickel? Regular or flat? What they now call “flagels” are the same amount of dough but flattened out so you get more crisp chewy crust and less breadiness. Nova or the saltier belly lox? Plain cream cheese or scallion? Toasted? On entering Bagel Bob’s, I broke into a light sweat as I realized they were out of my favorite flat bagels and I had to make a quick mental adjustment. When my turn came up I was ready: “Toasted everything, with Nova, cream cheese, tomato and onion, to go”.
And here it is, my friends: a thing of beauty, satisfying to my very core, salty, chewy, indescribable, delicious. 
Ellen, sending this on to my friend who lives & needs no introduction on where to get the best “eats”, but, you write so charmingly, that I felt “compelled” to do so. Also, my mouth is watering…..Luv, S.
Thanks Aunt Shirley! I appreciate the compliment and glad you like the blog!
Oh, I miss those! Both because I generally don’t eat bread (but would if I were in NYC) and because a good New York bagel doesn’t really exist in Portland. When I first moved out west (we’re talking almost 40 years ago) every time I would go back east for a visit I would bring home bagels and rye bread. I miss the rye bread, too.
I agree, Debra. There is just nothing quite like NY bagels on the west coast, and rye bread…mmmmm.