Absolute Bagels

My roommate LarchmontLass heard buzz that there was an excellent bagel place a few blocks from our apartment called Absolute Bagels. I couldn't believe we've lived in the area for almosts two years and this whole time there's been a city renowned bagelry within walking distance of our apartment. I've ordered one too many hard rock bagels from the bodegas nearby and I had all but given up on the chance of eating a fresh local bagel.

My roommates and I have been talking about Absolute Bagels for the past few weeks now, but each Saturday or Sunday morning, feeling exhausted and lazy, we end up settling on delivery. Absolute, to nobody's surprise, does not deliver, so we'd skip trying it. It's so pathetic, I know. Most weekends it's as though we suffer from severe weekend or morning agoraphobia.

I finally decided to end my weekends in sweats and captivity. I woke up one Saturday morning and ventured out on my own to try Absolute. The outside is completely bare of any signs or clear markings that you're about to enter a bagel place. The fogged up windows made it feel like my bathroom after I've taken a hot shower rather than a place to buy food.

I was enthralled by the man making the bagels right in front of me. This is how it's supposed to be done, yet it's so rare to find in the city anymore. I couldn't believe how empty the place was. I stepped right up to the counter and observed what kind of bagels were being served that morning, this while watching the bagel chef place rows and rows of raw bagel dough on the oven tray.


"Can I help you?" A loud voice came booming from behind the register. When I looked over the top of it I was stunned to find a petite Asian girl glaring at me wide-eyed. She sure had powerful and intimidating oratorical skills for someone so tiny. That or she'd eaten too many Absolute Bagels that morning.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to try one of the fancy cream cheeses in the display or go with a sandwich. The cream cheeses looked like Italian gelato because they topped each cream cheese container with its flavored ingredient. There were cream cheeses covered with fresh layers of apples, strawberries and chopped jalapenos. I decided to go with the turkey sandwich. Sadly they don't do bacon at Absolute but a plain turkey sandwich with mayo would suffice.


And this is what I took home with me. You can see from the picture, the bagel looks very flat. I really enjoyed that it wasn't a super fluffy bagel. Instead it was warm and doughy and the soft bagel dough flattened nicely into an edible sandwich. The bagel was soft and chewy and didn't have to be toasted it was so fresh. And look how they packed the turkey so nice and high.

My Absolute bagel made my Saturday. I couldn't wait to tell my roommates I finally tried Absolute. The next time we're suffering from a bout of agoraphobia, I'll offer to hold my roommates hands while we walk to Absolute. I'm pretty sure if we make it, the bagels will change their weekend breakfast routine for good.

2788 Broadway, between 107 and 108th Streets
212) 932-2052