Brooklyn Water Bagels - finally tried them.

[RichieLion]

First thing is that the price I saw for a bagel at Brooklyn Water Bagels on this forum was incorrect. The price for 1 bagel is $1.29. For a baker's dozen (13), it's $11.99, which comes to less than a $1 a bagel.

Next thing is the bagels are excellent. Not a donut shaped piece of bread like you get at Dunkin' Donuts for $.99, but a real honest to goodness boiled, then baked little piece of heaven.

You cannot compare these to any other so-called bagel I've had in Florida, but they're definitely on a par with any bagel you might get up north in the NY, NJ area. Some bagel shops up north might make them a bit bigger than these, but not much better.

I usually transport bagels down from NJ when I visit. I won't have to do that anymore if Brooklyn Water Bagels succeed in their business here.

If you haven't tried them yet, please do, you won't be disappointed. It's just too bad they're not golf cart accessible.

[jackz]

Good news Richie, looking forward to becoming a good patron of Brooklyn Bagels.

[renielarson]

Where is Brooklyn Bagels located?

[Bill-n-Brillo]

In the Villages Crossroads Shopping Center south of Honey Baked Ham. Intersection of Rolling Acres and 27/441.

Bill :)

[renielarson]

Thanks!:thumbup::thumbup:

[Pturner]

With all the rave reviews, I can't wait to try them next time we are down. :mmmm:

[Shirleevee]

First thing is that the price I saw for a bagel at Brooklyn Water Bagels on this forum was incorrect. The price for 1 bagel is $1.29. For a baker's dozen (13), it's $11.99, which comes to less than a $1 a bagel.

Next thing is the bagels are excellent. Not a donut shaped piece of bread like you get at Dunkin' Donuts for $.99, but a real honest to goodness boiled, then baked little piece of heaven.

You cannot compare these to any other so-called bagel I've had in Florida, but they're definitely on a par with any bagel you might get up north in the NY, NJ area. Some bagel shops up north might make them a bit bigger than these, but not much better.

I usually transport bagels down from NJ when I visit. I won't have to do that anymore if Brooklyn Water Bagels succeed in their business here.

If you haven't tried them yet, please do, you won't be disappointed. It's just too bad they're not golf cart accessible.

This former Brooklyn, Staten Island girl agrees !!! ...my only complaint, where are the Bialy's????

[laryb]

This former Brooklyn, Staten Island girl agrees !!! ...my only complaint, where are the Bialy's????
:throwtomatoes::throwtomatoes:nothing like bialys!!

[RichieLion]

This former Brooklyn, Staten Island girl agrees !!! ...my only complaint, where are the Bialy's????

Bialy's would be nice. Darn it; now you got me craving another thing I haven't found here:mmmm:

[Whalen]

Bialy's would be nice. Darn it; now you got me craving another thing I haven't found here:mmmm:

OY a bialy...back in the day, after Mass, we would drive to the LES (Lower East Side) go to a bakery on Grand Street and get fresh bagels and bialys then go to the Essex Streeet Market and pick up smoked fish. I would only eat the baked salmon. What a treat...baked salmon on a fresh bialy...Can't you tell I'm an Irish, Polish Catholic from Brooklyn...LOL

[Xavier]

First thing is that the price I saw for a bagel at Brooklyn Water Bagels on this forum was incorrect. The price for 1 bagel is $1.29. For a baker's dozen (13), it's $11.99, which comes to less than a $1 a bagel.

Next thing is the bagels are excellent. Not a donut shaped piece of bread like you get at Dunkin' Donuts for $.99, but a real honest to goodness boiled, then baked little piece of heaven.

You cannot compare these to any other so-called bagel I've had in Florida, but they're definitely on a par with any bagel you might get up north in the NY, NJ area. Some bagel shops up north might make them a bit bigger than these, but not much better.

I usually transport bagels down from NJ when I visit. I won't have to do that anymore if Brooklyn Water Bagels succeed in their business here.

If you haven't tried them yet, please do, you won't be disappointed. It's just too bad they're not golf cart accessible.



Richie,

I really can't help myself - Would you be transporting these bagels from NY/NJ by car or by plane?

Xavier

[2BNTV]

As a wannabee, its good to know where to get a good bagel.

One thing less I will have to search for when I get there.

I didn't know a bagel existed until I was in my thirties. I guess I led a shelter life and didn't know it. :)

[lawatha]

What is a bialys? As a former Spokane WA girl (via CA and ID) I've never heard of that before. My idea of bagels would be... cinnamon crunch bagel at Panera Bread. Ha... that's the extent of my bagel expertise.

[RichieLion]

Richie,

I really can't help myself - Would you be transporting these bagels from NY/NJ by car or by plane?

Xavier

By car I'll bring down 2 doz. and freeze 'em. (not as good as a fresh bagel, but toasted they're not bad). By plane, which I recently did fly north and back, I'll stuff a bag of 1 doz. in my carry on. Something I don't have to do anymore now that we have Brooklyn Water Bagels so close.

I know why you asked, and to answer that question, my flight was non-eventful. Filled with much anxiety, I walked briskly threw the metal detector and surprisingly the titanium implants in the bones of my left leg did not set off the alarm, and I went through with no drama. The naked scanners were in operation at Orlando Airport, but I was lucky not to be in that line.

[2BNTV]

Richie:

A bagel tip. Here's a tip that has been around for years that I heard from a friend many years ago. My son, who works in the hotel management also verified this works as it has been been used in some of the better hotels.

After taking a bagel out of the freezer, put in a mocrowave oven with a cup of water for two minutes in the "defrost" setting.

Cut the bagel and put in back in the microwave for two minutes in the "defrost" mode.

The water in the cup will mist and go into the bagel giving it soft and baked quality. It will seem like it just came out of the bakery oven.

I'm no great chef, (microwave man), and I bow to other's superiority when it comes to cooking but I found this method to work when reheating pizza, pasta and anything that will taste better as it will taste more like when it was originally cooked.

P.S. - I remember when I put bread in the microwave and after it came out. If a let it sit for a while, it became like a brick.

[RichieLion]

What is a bialys? As a former Spokane WA girl (via CA and ID) I've never heard of that before. My idea of bagels would be... cinnamon crunch bagel at Panera Bread. Ha... that's the extent of my bagel expertise.

A bialy is a wonderful piece of dense bread that has an indentation in it that is filled with onions. We gentiles often just referred to them as "onion rolls". They are delicious with smoked salmon, as previously and mouth wateringly described by Whalen. Cut them in half; lightly toast them; add a bit of butter; have a cup of hot strong tea to accompany.................mmmmmm:mmmm:

Here's a link with a picture
http://www.breadcetera.com/?p=185

[RichieLion]

Richie:

A bagel tip. Here's a tip that has been around for years that I heard from a friend many years ago. My son, who works in the hotel management also verified this works as it has been been used in some of the better hotels.

After taking a bagel out of the freezer, put in a mocrowave oven with a cup of water for two minutes in the "defrost" setting.

Cut the bagel and put in back in the microwave for two minutes in the "defrost" mode.

The water in the cup will mist and go into the bagel giving it soft and baked quality. It will seem like it just came out of the bakery oven.

I'm no great chef, (microwave man), and I bow to other's superiority when it comes to cooking but I found this method to work when reheating pizza, pasta and anything that will taste better as it will taste more like when it was originally cooked.

P.S. - I remember when I put bread in the microwave and after it came out. If a let it sit for a while, it became like a brick.

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try. Although 4 minutes seems a long time for a bagel, but I'll experiment with that.

My mom used to "refresh" a leftover portion of italian bread from a night or two before, by putting it in tin foil; sprinkling some water in the tin foil, loosely close the tin foil into a bag and bake in the oven for a few minutes. It made it soft and warm again with that just baked texture like you describe in your instructions for frozen bagels.

[2BNTV]

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try. Although 4 minutes seems a long time for a bagel, but I'll experiment with that.

My mom used to "refresh" a leftover portion of italian bread from a night or two before, by putting it in tin foil; sprinkling some water in the tin foil, loosely close the tin foil into a bag and bake in the oven for a few minutes. It made it soft and warm again with that just baked texture like you describe in your instructions for frozen bagels.

Richie:

It really works. Times may vary depending on the power of the microwave.

I wish I was there to give a demonstration. :)

[MinnieM]

The last time I was there I asked them about bialys and I was told that it was difficult to make a good bialy in this summer heat and humidity. They were going to try and have them in the fall and winter.

MinnieM

[Shirleevee]

OY a bialy...back in the day, after Mass, we would drive to the LES (Lower East Side) go to a bakery on Grand Street and get fresh bagels and bialys then go to the Essex Streeet Market and pick up smoked fish. I would only eat the baked salmon. What a treat...baked salmon on a fresh bialy...Can't you tell I'm an Irish, Polish Catholic from Brooklyn...LOL

Hubby and I are from Borough Park Brooklyn, a very Jewish, Italian, Irish, Polish place in the old days.......bialy's ....short for Bialystock......with smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato and onion......oh boy! They are sold frozen here in Publix......yummmmmmmmm

[Schaumburger]

Thanks for the info. about this place. I will have to try it when I return to TV in October.

RichieLion -- this place owes you about a year's worth of free bagels.

[lawatha]

Richie, thanks for the link and explanation. Scrumptious!

[CaliforniaGirl]

Richie, I happen to love DD's "donut-shaped bread", so I didn't know if I would like Brooklyn Water Bagels but decided to try them anyway.

So....now I'm a fan. I'll be going back again (and again and again) :thumbup:

[RichieLion]

Richie, I happen to love DD's "donut-shaped bread", so I didn't know if I would like Brooklyn Water Bagels but decided to try them anyway.

So....now I'm a fan. I'll be going back again (and again and again) :thumbup:

Glad you tried them out. That is what a bagel is supposed to taste like. It's supposed to have a firm crust and a dense but still tender inside. The trick is in the proper dough and then in the boiling first (with the right water) and then the baking. Once you become a real bagel place fan, the next step is to find out if your prefer them "light" or "dark", which is determined by how long they were left in the ovens. The store's are usually happy to give you what you prefer. I like them lighter, while my wife likes them a little darker.

[entemedor]

Just tried one of their bagels, poppy seed. Now this Irish kid from the wilds of New Hampshire is far from an expert on bagels but lemme tell ya, it was wicked good. Best bagel I've ever had.

[nkrifats]

Best Bagel I have had in this area.

[Pookirgirl]

I LOVE Onion bagels....this place only makes onion with Poppy. Can't have seeds. Wouldn't you think these places would get wise to the fact that they are dealing with a mostly "senior" population? Lots of people develop Diverticulitis as they age and cannot have seeds. Ran into the same problem at Panera. My husband ordered a sandwich and it also had seeds inside it..

[RichieLion]

I LOVE Onion bagels....this place only makes onion with Poppy. Can't have seeds. Wouldn't you think these places would get wise to the fact that they are dealing with a mostly "senior" population? Lots of people develop Diverticulitis as they age and cannot have seeds. Ran into the same problem at Panera. My husband ordered a sandwich and it also had seeds inside it..

I'm sure the owner will want to have the bagels the customer wants on hand, so I say we make some suggestions to him. What I missed were salt bagels, which I love. So next time I'm there, which will be today or tomorrow, I'll mention the seeds problem, and suggest some salt, onion and garlic bagels "
without the seeds.

Good suggestion Pookirgirl.

[LittleDog]

Wish they had egg bagels.

John

[zcaveman]

I moved from Florida to NJ and was introduced to bagels. To me they were a stale donut. The good thing was they had the same texture and consistency on day two as they had on day one. They never got stale!

Since then I have come to enjoy a warm bagel with butter and jelly.

Albertson's used to carry a jalapeño bagel. Best in the area. Up in NJ I liked the rye bagel with Cinnamon and raisins.

I will try Brooklyn Water Bagels to see if they remind me of the NJ bagels.

[buggyone]

Sad to say, I have never had a real New York bagel. I have had bagels that are boiled before being baked from Chesapeake Bagels in Maryland as well as other places in Maryland.

I personally like the bagels at Panera. I always toast them and like them with butter on them.

I have heard that a bagel perfectionist will never toast a bagel. Is that true and, if so, why?

[RichieLion]

Sad to say, I have never had a real New York bagel. I have had bagels that are boiled before being baked from Chesapeake Bagels in Maryland as well as other places in Maryland.

I personally like the bagels at Panera. I always toast them and like them with butter on them.

I have heard that a bagel perfectionist will never toast a bagel. Is that true and, if so, why?

I love a toasted bagel. If I buy a bunch I toast them as they start to get a little stale. The butter just melts into that hot bagel and................wait, even better, peanut butter. Melted peanut butter on the top of a bagel; maybe some bacon crumbles on that.....mmmmmm!!

[LittleDog]

I prefer a grilled bagel instead of a toasted one. I order that at Too Jays. You spread butter on the bagel and put it on the grill. The butter melts into the bagel. Yumm!!!

John

[RichieLion]

I LOVE Onion bagels....this place only makes onion with Poppy. Can't have seeds. Wouldn't you think these places would get wise to the fact that they are dealing with a mostly "senior" population? Lots of people develop Diverticulitis as they age and cannot have seeds. Ran into the same problem at Panera. My husband ordered a sandwich and it also had seeds inside it..

I just got back from Brooklyn Water Bagels and the onion bagel I bought has no seeds in it and I was greeted with a quizzical expression when I told them someone had complained of seeds in the onion bagel. I was told they never put seeds in the onion bagels, just onion. Must have been a fluke.

Wish they had egg bagels.
John

I was informed that when they opened they had egg bagels and they didn't sell, so they haven't been making them.
_____________________________________________

I'm happy to report that on this Sunday afternoon at approximately 1:30PM when I was there, that there was a good crowd at the tables. Still wish they were golf cart accessible, but I'm still glad they're there.

[Brewster]

OK, all this talk of good food...Im going tomorrow morning....

[2BNTV]

I love a toasted bagel. If I buy a bunch I toast them as they start to get a little stale. The butter just melts into that hot bagel and................wait, even better, peanut butter. Melted peanut butter on the top of a bagel; maybe some bacon crumbles on that.....mmmmmm!!

I love the way you think. Bagels, peanut butter and bacon. mmmmmmmm!!

[BigEast]

Getting near my end of my 3 week stay in TV..Have been to Brooklyn Water Bagels 3 time and thought their bagels were great. Crispy, large and enjoy having everything on both sides.

My oldest daughter thought H&H in NYC is better, however I do not.

Also as a side note the bagels at Dunkin Donuts in TV are very different than in the northeast. Much better in the Northeast. Thought they were like rolls in TV.

I am going to miss TV and can't want to come back.

Larry


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.921676,-82.023771

[Whatever]

I love a toasted bagel. If I buy a bunch I toast them as they start to get a little stale. The butter just melts into that hot bagel and................wait, even better, peanut butter. Melted peanut butter on the top of a bagel; maybe some bacon crumbles on that.....mmmmmm!!

If you want to freshen a bagel that is a couple of days old, run it under water, before cutting it, and then toast. Just run the bagel under the water for a split second to get the outer part wet. DO NOT SOAK!!!!:icon_hungry:

[rdhdleo]

The Bagels at this place are awesome!!!! Best in the area and they had poppy seed!!!!! We brought the bakers dozen home to freeze :) Now I also agree if they only had Bialys!!!!! Golf cart accessible would be nice but anywhere in the villages you can get to on golf cart usually charges a higher rent. I'd rather see them stay in business longer than a lot of the places that try to make it in TV's.

[Schaumburger]

I stopped at Brooklyn Water Bagels this morning. Didn't know what 'nova" was -- sorry, I'm from the Midwest. Had low fat nova (salmon) cream cheese on an Asiago cheese bagel. Very good - thumbs up! If you like bagels, definitely give Brooklyn Water Bagels a try. :thumbup:

[ladydoc]

I stopped at Brooklyn Water Bagels this morning. Didn't know what 'nova" was -- sorry, I'm from the Midwest. Had low fat nova (salmon) cream cheese on an Asiago cheese bagel. Very good - thumbs up! If you like bagels, definitely give Brooklyn Water Bagels a try. :thumbup:

Those bagels are awesome. Best I have had since I was growing up in Chicago. Nova lox is smoked salmon and usually is salted a bit.

[cappyjon431]

I consider myself a bagel snob (when I was younger I managed the best Jewish deli/bagel restaurant in Miami for many years) and Brooklyn Water Bagels are some of the best I have had in many years.

FYI-"Lox" is a smoked salmon, but it comes from the belly portion of the fish and is heavily brined, so it is usually very salty. "Nova" is sliced from the side of the filet and is not heavily brined, so it is less salty. These terms are frequently used interchangeably, but they are actually different types of smoked salmon--having very different tastes.

Funny story: when I used to work in the deli, I became an expert at slicing nova and lox. Most of our customers requested that it be sliced paper thin (back in the 80s our deli charged $26/pound for sliced nova/lox so it would go further if it was sliced really thin). I would sometimes be stuck slicing salmon for hours at a time because our customers always requested me to slice it. At the end of the day, I would come home smelling like smoked fish. It didn't matter how much I showered, I just couldn't seem to get rid of that salmon smell. When I finally changed careers and left the restaurant, I couldn't bring myself to even THINK about eating nova or lox. It took me almost 20 years to be able to order/buy it again, but nowadays I really enjoy a great bagel with nova.

[RichieLion]

Great Story Cappy. It was always a special treat to be able to go to Petak's Glatt Kosher Deli, in Fairlawn New Jersey, and have the Nova Salmon cut really thin like you describe. There's nothing like fresh sliced Nova on a perfect bagel with a "schmear". (Couldn't resist picking up a little smoked whitefish for an afternoon snack with crackers while there.)

[Shirleevee]

I consider myself a bagel snob (when I was younger I managed the best Jewish deli/bagel restaurant in Miami for many years) and Brooklyn Water Bagels are some of the best I have had in many years.

FYI-"Lox" is a smoked salmon, but it comes from the belly portion of the fish and is heavily brined, so it is usually very salty. "Nova" is sliced from the side of the filet and is not heavily brined, so it is less salty. These terms are frequently used interchangeably, but they are actually different types of smoked salmon--having very different tastes.

Funny story: when I used to work in the deli, I became an expert at slicing nova and lox. Most of our customers requested that it be sliced paper thin (back in the 80s our deli charged $26/pound for sliced nova/lox so it would go further if it was sliced really thin). I would sometimes be stuck slicing salmon for hours at a time because our customers always requested me to slice it. At the end of the day, I would come home smelling like smoked fish. It didn't matter how much I showered, I just couldn't seem to get rid of that salmon smell. When I finally changed careers and left the restaurant, I couldn't bring myself to even THINK about eating nova or lox. It took me almost 20 years to be able to order/buy it again, but nowadays I really enjoy a great bagel with nova.

This Brooklyn lox lover just looked up the price of belly lox at Zabar's in NYC........shopped there often when lox (very very thin) was about $25.00 a lb..........are you ready...........$49.00 .....Russ & Daughter's about $37.00 per lb.

I, too, think that the Brooklyn Bagel Co., has the best bagels. I've had in years.......sorry Staten Island....

Bring on the Bialy's!!!!!!

[Shirleevee]

Oops! Loved your story!

[EdV]

All this talk about bagels, bialys, lox, and nova salmon got me thinking about another Jewish delicacy I haven’t had in ages. Real homemade meat knishes.

[cappyjon431]

This Brooklyn lox lover just looked up the price of belly lox at Zabar's in NYC........shopped there often when lox (very very thin) was about $25.00 a lb..........are you ready...........$49.00 .....Russ & Daughter's about $37.00 per lb.

I, too, think that the Brooklyn Bagel Co., has the best bagels. I've had in years.......sorry Staten Island....

Bring on the Bialy's!!!!!!

OOOOh, do I miss Zabars! As a kid I would spend every summer in the Catskills. My grandfather, who worked in Manhattan, would come up to our lake house every Friday night with bags of bagels, bialys, nova, sturgeon, creamed herring, whitefish, kosher pickles, knishes, rye breads, corned beef, and Cel-Ray soda--we would feast every weekend.

Wow, thanks for bringing back grat memories.:mademyday:

[travelguy]

these bagels are just ok...and way over-priced. panera's are a better deal. or, just bring a bushel load back every time you return from up north!

and liver knishes....do they even make them anymore? so good.

:024:

[Halle]

This Brooklyn lox lover just looked up the price of belly lox at Zabar's in NYC........shopped there often when lox (very very thin) was about $25.00 a lb..........are you ready...........$49.00 .....Russ & Daughter's about $37.00 per lb.

I, too, think that the Brooklyn Bagel Co., has the best bagels. I've had in years.......sorry Staten Island....

Bring on the Bialy's!!!!!!

Hi Phyllis,

Robb has at least 5 pounds of Kenai River Reds and Silvers(salmon) in the smoker, should be finished by the time we get home from work.

Want me to bring you some? We will be there 5 weeks from today.

Sorry for the hijack, can't wait to try the bagels.

:icon_hungry:

[Sadie1313]

:a040::BigApplause:This former Brooklyn, Staten Island girl agrees !!! ...my only complaint, where are the Bialy's????

So true Shirleevee....the first time I walked into Brooklyn Water Bagel, that's exactly what I asked..."What! No Bialeys?". Oh well, can't have everything. I do think the bagels are the closest you can get to the bagels I grew up with in Brooklyn. When we moved to Staten Island, I still preferred the Brooklyn Bagels. Now, I'm here in TV since Sep. 2011, and happily I can have my Brooklyn Bagels again. Ciao, Trish

[BigLew]

First thing is that the price I saw for a bagel at Brooklyn Water Bagels on this forum was incorrect. The price for 1 bagel is $1.29. For a baker's dozen (13), it's $11.99, which comes to less than a $1 a bagel.

Next thing is the bagels are excellent. Not a donut shaped piece of bread like you get at Dunkin' Donuts for $.99, but a real honest to goodness boiled, then baked little piece of heaven.

You cannot compare these to any other so-called bagel I've had in Florida, but they're definitely on a par with any bagel you might get up north in the NY, NJ area. Some bagel shops up north might make them a bit bigger than these, but not much better.

I usually transport bagels down from NJ when I visit. I won't have to do that anymore if Brooklyn Water Bagels succeed in their business here.

If you haven't tried them yet, please do, you won't be disappointed. It's just too bad they're not golf cart accessible.

all the fixin's for a great egg cream....:mmmm: