Posts Tagged ‘Bagels’
Iras Bagels Review – Lake in the Hills, IL
Living in the suburbs most anywhere, your choice for bagels is pretty much limited to one of the chains (which are all commonly owned now), the grocery store “bakery,” or grocery store frozen.
I think the first one I ever had was at a small deli across the street from my apartment in Minneapolis. I was hooked. It was 1975. Back then, other than at a deli, your choice was limited to frozen. Period.
Go to New York or someone that follows a traditional NY recipe (see video) and you’ll be spoiled forever. No more chain or frozen bagels, uh huh, no way, never.
Well, I got lucky recently, with the opening of “Ira’s Bagels” in Lake in the Hills, IL, a NW Chicago suburb near me. I’m addicted. Like I needed something else in the category? I’ve been three times in two days! In addition to their bagels being absolutely DELICIOUS, they are less expensive than the chain.
They also have sandwiches featuring (the very famous) Manny’s Deli corned beef and pastrami from the iconic downtown Chicago restaurant of the same name. So no more hour commutes to dig into that, too!
My life is blessed. Thank you Ira. Live long and prosper. Menu. (Close up pic is mine – 3 “everything” bagels; store picture is from the company’s website).
Iras Bagels Review
Iras Bagels Review
Hometown Bagels Review
Having been a bagel muncher for many decades, I was suprised to note in a store the other day a package of “Chicago style” bagels. Who knew? Whereas most consumers of bagels (and pizza for that matter) are familiar with “New York Style” bagels (and pizza), afficianados insists “it’s the water” that makes those products different.
Around the country, various enterprises have popped up claiming to be able to duplicate “the water” to provide an authentic New York bagel experience. There’s even a small chain,mostly in Florida, but with an outlet in Beverly Hills, as well.
So anyway, turns out there are “Montreal style,” “Toronto style,” “New York Style,” “Chicago style” and a gaggle of other “styles.” There are even “Los Angeles style,” and the big company outthere is Western Bagel, a wholesaler and retailer. I used to like going to their factory store in the valley in the middle of the night, where you could buy ’em ‘fresh.’ They also sell online.
The primary difference between New York and Chicago? New York bagels are boiled, then baked. Chicago are ‘baked with steam.”
Now you know. As to I. These “Chicago Style” bagels are made by a company called “HometownBagel” in Alsip, IL (which really isn’t Chicago). Maybe they should change the name to “Chicago Area Style Bagels?”
So I ate one. Tasted like a bagel. BTW, my favorite flavors of all bagels made anywhere? Salt, followed by everything, followed by pumpernickel. That’s it.
Hometown Bagels Review
@Hometownbagel
