I know. It's not New York. But... (food related) (Seattle: real estate, neighborhood)

[revelated]

For some unknown reason, I am having the absolute worst time finding the single most common food known to man:

Bagels.

I know what you're going to say. "Go to Safeway/Fred Meyer/Whole Check/Albertsons/etc and buy a bag!!!" No. That's not what I mean.

I want to walk into a shop. Walk up to the counter. Tell the lady/guy, "I'd like a salt bagel/egg bagel/everything bagel, toasted with butter and cream cheese." They smile, prepare it, hand it to me, I pick up a drink, pay, and walk out with my snack.

I've found one Einstein Bros bagels - and it's 30 minutes away from where I live. Not acceptable.

There like 4 Einstein Bros bagels at seemingly random, certainly illogical places in Seattle. Not acceptable.

New York Style Bagels & Cafe doesn't seem to exist out here. They're the only ones I've found that sell salt bagels.

In San Diego, you could go to a regular bakery and they'd sell toasted bagels. For the life of me I can't seem to find a regular bakery.

There are doughnut shops ALL OVER THE FRICKIN PLACE with sugary, unhealthy, diabetes-invoking doughnuts everywhere. But no bagel shops.

Can anyone tell me why this is? I don't even care if it's a mom-and-pop doing it. I've found more Mexican shops than bagel shops and that's just not cricket.

DISCLAIMER:
I don't want to make them at home, for various reasons. Bagel shops are common seemingly everywhere BUT the Seattle metro. I'm just curious as to why, and why there are so many doughnut shops scattered around.

[mkarch]

To be blunt there aren't that many Jewish people here, nor is this area a huge destination for people who lived in the NE/Mid Atlantic. Bagels were trendy at some point more than a decade ago, but now it's just another niche food product.

[RotseCherut]

How about the Seattle Bagel Bakery in Pike's Place Market?

Seattle Bagel Bakery - Downtown - Seattle, WA | Yelp

There is another chain called Noah's Bagels, but I guess it gets mixed reviews.

You could always take a trip up to Vancouver, BC where I have found some authentic Jewish Delis and a real Jewish neighborhood. Sadly, the Jews in Seattle have shunned their culture and have adopted Northwestern way of life. What has died along with that is bagel shops and traditional Yiddish/New York style food like bagels and kosher delis.

Seattle metro is somewhat a cultureless void and outside of seafood and Asian cuisine there isn't in terms of culturally centered food. Even a good hearty burger is a feat to find in Seattle.

Heck, I cannot even find a good pizza in Seattle.. I have found only one or two places that does decent Middle Eastern, Falafel, hummus, etc.

Just out of curiosity have you tried the Kosher Deli in Bellevue called Goldberg's? From reading reviews it is not truly a "DELICATESSEN" in the sense of the word and it seems the food gets mixed reviews. However, how can a Jewish run place ruin bagels and cream cheese? I hope they can at least do that much.

[SusanInSeattle]

Zatz A Better Bagel. West Seattle. Now, if they'd just add bialys.

[bloom]

Eltana bagels here are quite unique. Dense motha-fooka's, but both boiled then wood-fired. Better fresh than toasted.
Einstein are not boiled so not real; they are just acceptable.
Grocery store bagels are unacceptable - white bread in shape of bagel.
Where in San Diego do you recommend? The only real-deal I found was Point Loma Bagels, not the most convenient location for me.
My wife just boiled/baked some for first time; they were outstanding, and she said not that difficult to make from scratch.

[RotseCherut]

Revelated, find a guy named Ira on the board and I guarantee he is the ultimate guru of all knowledge on where the best bagels can be found in Seattle.. He told me in another thread just today he is considering moving to Vancouver, BC because of the lack of bagel places in Seattle.. This is serious business!!

[SusanInSeattle]

Ira might be onto something. If he's the expert and sees a void so great he's considering moving, perhaps it's time for Ira to open one up. Just sayin'. I see a business opportunity.

[Ira500]

There are good bagel places around. Just not too many of them. Bagel Oasis in Ravenna makes good bagels, and Mikie's in Redmond also makes good bagels. Eltana on Capitol Hill are pretty good. Einstein's and Noah's are really the same place, and kind of mediocre. Blazing Bagels in Redmond is alright, as is Zatz in West Seattle. But only Bagel Oasis and Mikie's boil theirs like you're supposed to.
I wouldn't really move out of Seattle because of bagels. And I'm far better at eating them than baking them. That's hard work. Real Estate is hard enough

[bloom]

^ Eltana boils and then bakes? Where in NJ you from Ira500?

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by bloom

^ Eltana boils and then bakes? Where in NJ you from Ira500?

Eltana does boil and then bake, like Bagel Oasis and Mikie's. But they're a different style. Maybe not as flavorful? I like them, but not as well as Oasis or Mikie's.
I'm from Central NJ, Turnpike Exit 8.