You should have seen the "happy dance" I did when I walked by your storefront just around the corner from Wick's on Highland. A bagel place, a few blocks from my house? I'm overjoyed. I can't wait til your soft opening on September 8.
I've been longing for a NYC quality bagel for... sigh... years. Let's face it, most of the bagels in Louisville are sad, dense little hockey pucks (oddly enough, that's one of Roommate's nicknames for me, "Dense Little Hockey Puck." I kid. I kid.). I've yet to find a place that has a bagel with cream cheese that really gets it right-- either the bagel is okay (never great) and the cream cheese is a disaster, or vice versa.
And I love that your signage says: "Breakfast, Lunch, Late Night." (You do know that on Bardstown "late night" means 2am minmum 4-5am ideally, right?) A bagel with cream cheese is one of the great "after a few drinks" meals. Using Kentucky Proud ingredients? Homemade soups? Heine Bros coffee? Bagel sandwiches? Everything about this sounds fabulous.
I hate to be bossy, but it is almost my birthday, so my bossypants have been pressed and are waiting on the hanger, ready to be worn. But I am a bit opinionated about bagels, so I thought I would put in some requests now, while you're still setting up.
Please feature veggie, garlic and herb, and lox cream cheese spreads. And please don't put onions in the lox spread-- that's gross. And please make sure your veggie cream cheese actually tastes like something more than cream cheese with chunks. I know a lot of people like the sweet cream cheese spreads, like strawberry walnut ugh and blueberry pecan bleh, but don't skimp on the savory options, please.
If you're making your own soups, please try to make a broccoli cheddar soup that rocks. It's one of my favorites-- Oh! And a tortilla soup too!!-- , and I can't find a good version of either of those of here in Louisville. In case you were wondering, based on my non-scientific survey of soups, the best soups in Louisville are: #1 Cream of Mushroom at Joe Davola's, #2 Tomato Dill at The Cafe, and #3 Lobster Bisque at The Bodega. If you haven't tried all of those, you should. And then strive to makes soups as good as those.
I lived in NYC for 5 years, and for one of those years, five days a week, I had the same workday lunch. Five days a week, I had Muenster cheese, cucumbers, sprouts, and lettuce on a sesame bagel with a bit of mayo. I still daydream about this bagel sandwich. I would love you forever if you could recreate this dream sandwich for me. Heck, it's so good, you should put it on your menu and call it The Loueyville. I promise I won't ask for royalties.
Good luck in your endeavor. I hope you find huge success in my neighborhood. I have high hopes for you. Can't wait to stop by some Saturday afternoon.
xo
Lou
1 comment:
I agree with the savory options. Sweet bagels and toppings have their place but a good savory cannot be beat. If I may be so bold to add a request- Please, PLEASE, an onion bagel with the onions inside the dough- not just sprinkled on top. I have searched my four years in this area for a good bagel, I will have no problem making a run across the bridge every Sunday for enough to get me through the week if you get it right.
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