Bagel hunt (non-fuwafuwa type)

[omae mona]

Probably a result of time I've spent in New York, but there are times where I just have a hankering for a decent bagel. Call me a bagel snob, but I've found it damn hard to locate a real bagel in Tokyo. I'm looking for something that's boiled, super-chewy, and maybe even a little crusty on the outside. A round, fluffy, baked dinner roll with a hole in the middle doesn't cut it for me, except when I've had too much happoshu to notice the difference. Unfortunately, 99% of the Tokyo bagels I've tried fit the latter category, and usually I have eaten them early in the morning, slightly before I start drinking.

As far as 5-6 years back there were a few Tokyo places air-shipping in frozen H&H bagels from New York, and thank god for that. Mmmmmmmmmmm. But they're few and far between, and expensive too (200+ yen for a bagel makes me cringe, though it's a hell of a lot cheaper than the NYC airfare to pick one up myself).

Having made a special pain-in-the-ass trip to buy a few yesterday. it got me wondering: does anybody know other sources of non-fluffy bagels in Tokyo or vicinity?

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

I know this will shound dead weird. But you cold always make some by yourself. And we could call you that bagel guy te he he.

[omae mona]

But you cold always make some by yourself.

Don't know about you, but I don't have enough room in my place for one of these:



I can dream, though...

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

Really all you actualy need is an oven. the likelihood of finding one in japan is a bit far off but who knows... I have just been reading this site http://www.pastrywiz.com/archive/category/bagels.htm
They seem pretty easy to make. Bland comes to mind in fact.

Although this quote is kinda making me excited.

HOLE IN THE MIDDLE METHOD: Roll each piece of dough into a ball, poke a floured finger through the center to form the hole, and then shape top and smooth sides. Moisten your finger with water, if necessary to smooth. Pull gently to enlarge hole. The resulting bagel is smooth and there is no joint.

[omae mona]

Really all you actualy need is an oven

Actually your article does correctly point out that you have to boil the bagels. Everything I have read on the net, though (try food newsgroups), indicates it is damn hard to get it right. I don't know if the lack of decent bagels in town is due to the difficulty of doing it right, or the local belief that good bread = fluffy bread

[devicenull]

**********WARNING**********
***NON - PC JOKE AHEAD******
*********WARNING***********



hmm, it's like a giant mousetrap for jews.....



*places a bagel in the back of the oven :P*

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

Really all you actualy need is an oven

Actually your article does correctly point out that you have to boil the bagels.

Yes and you still have to bake them if you want a crust. I red the whole article. I presumed you would have not of had a hard time finding a pot and water in japan. you could even use a wok and water.(I uni I used a wok for bloody everything)But it does not detract from the fact most bagels will also be cooked to form a crust. Whether they are boiled first or not.

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

**********WARNING**********
***NON - PC JOKE AHEAD******
*********WARNING***********



hmm, it's like a giant mousetrap for jews.....



*places a bagel in the back of the oven :P*

I dont really get it. Probably as I have never met a jew in my life and have no understanding about their culture. Do bagels come from Jews?

[devicenull]

I dont really get it. Probably as I have never met a jew in my life and have no understanding about their culture. Do bagels come from Jews?

bagel = jewfood

[omae mona]

**********WARNING**********
***NON - PC JOKE AHEAD******
*********WARNING***********

I dont really get it. Probably as I have never met a jew in my life and have no understanding about their culture. Do bagels come from Jews?

Yes, as the egg cometh from the chicken, so cometh the bagel from the Jew.

For crying out loud, folks, could we have a discussion about food???

Just noticed this:

lthough this quote is kinda making me excited.

HOLE IN THE MIDDLE METHOD: Roll each piece of dough into a ball, poke a floured finger through the center to form the hole, and then shape top and smooth sides. Moisten your finger with water, if necessary to smooth. Pull gently to enlarge hole. The resulting bagel is smooth and there is no joint.

Look, I said bagel HUNT, with an H, OK?

[GomiGirl]

hanamasu - the bulk food store chain sells quite good frozen bagels.

Also, my mother picked up some really good ones for me not so long ago. She gave me the name of the shop but I can't remember it.. sorry. But they are around and the quality is getting better.. Now if only I could get fat free cream cheese!!

[devicenull]

Look, I said bagel HUNT, with an H, OK?

butter's in the fridge....

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

Look, I said bagel HUNT, with an H, OK?

Everybody in Japan Knows What H is. You are preaching to the converted.

Just noticed this:

If you noticed it was sausy then you must identify with it he he.

[GuyJean]

anybody know other sources of non-fluffy bagels in Tokyo or vicinity?

Bagel & Bagel have decent bagels.. We buy a dozen and have them for breakfast sometimes... The bagel sandwiches aren't bad either..

http://www.dreamcorp.co.jp/

Locations: http://www.dreamcorp.co.jp/shops/shoplocation.htm



GJ

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

anybody know other sources of non-fluffy bagels in Tokyo or vicinity?

Bagel & Bagel have decent bagels.. We buy a dozen and have them for breakfast sometimes... The bagel sandwiches aren't bad either..

http://www.dreamcorp.co.jp/

Locations: http://www.dreamcorp.co.jp/shops/shoplocation.htm

Do you know are you allowed smork in their shops.

[omae mona]

anybody know other sources of non-fluffy bagels in Tokyo or vicinity?

Bagel & Bagel have decent bagels.. We buy a dozen and have them for breakfast sometimes... The bagel sandwiches aren't bad either..

Last time I passed a B&B, I noticed they had plastic-wrapped bagels sitting out. So naturally, I walked up and stuck my finger into one. It caved right in, so I figured it was a non-chewy bagel & didn't even try it. On your advice I'll give 'em another shot, though. Thanks!

hanamasu - the bulk food store chain sells quite good frozen bagels.

Thanks, GG. I'll give that a shot too. But I need to go to a non-Ginza location, or scary shopping may ensue.

The place I used to get my H&H bagels up until 1999 was a little cafe run by a French guy up on the 2nd floor of a building in Harajuku, on Aoyama-dori near the entrance to Takeshita-dori. Not sure why he closed up shop, but when I got back to Tokyo this year, he was long gone. Bummer.

[GomiGirl]

anybody know other sources of non-fluffy bagels in Tokyo or vicinity?

Bagel & Bagel have decent bagels.. We buy a dozen and have them for breakfast sometimes... The bagel sandwiches aren't bad either..

http://www.dreamcorp.co.jp/

Locations: http://www.dreamcorp.co.jp/shops/shoplocation.htm



GJ

That's the store I couldn't remember!! They have great bagels.

[GuyJean]

Do you know are you allowed smork in their shops.

I don't recall anyone smorking.. I probably wouldn't go if smoking was allowed. Eating while inhaling someone elses second-hand smoke pisses me off and ruins the meal.. The smoke never wafts into the smokers face.

Last time I passed a B&B, I noticed they had plastic-wrapped bagels sitting out. So naturally, I walked up and stuck my finger into one. It caved right in, so I figured it was a non-chewy bagel & didn't even try it. On your advice I'll give 'em another shot, though. Thanks!

Don't get the ones already in the bag; they're probably day-old anyway. Get the ones at the counter. Always toast them and use some butter. Most mediocre bread is better toasted.

I had a tofu-bagel burger and a swiss, ham and sesame bagel sandwich that was actually pretty damn good...

They have lunch specials around 500 yen, or so.

They are by no means the best, but they're good.

GJ

[kamome]

**********WARNING**********
***NON - PC JOKE AHEAD******
*********WARNING***********



hmm, it's like a giant mousetrap for jews.....



*places a bagel in the back of the oven :P*

You, goat boy, are an ass. Go f--- your anti-Semitic self.

[devicenull]

You, goat boy, are an ass. Go f--- your anti-Semitic self.

there, you see, is the problem... given my lineage, that would make me an anti-semitic jew...

Who is jewhating?
JEW is jewhating?
How can this be?

[Mulboyne]

New place near Naka Meguro:

http://www.bagelstandard.com/

Never been to it. Maruichi Bagel in Shirokane still gets rave reviews:

http://www.maruichibagel.com/

[canman]

Up here in Hachinohe we have stores that sell bagels, and yes they are a bit fuwa fuwa, but what kills me is that they charge more than Y150 per bagel. I just got back from home and you can buy a bag of them with 6 for about $2.50. Since the big oil and butter shock or 2008, all baked good have increased dramatically and the size has gone the opposite way. Most packaged goods have shrunk I feel. Then you return to Canada, and the sizes their just seem to keep getting bigger and bigger.

[wuchan]

costco

[omae mona]

New place near Naka Meguro:

http://www.bagelstandard.com/

Had the chance to visit recently. Looked promising, but can't recommend. Service was a disaster]
Never been to it. Maruichi Bagel in Shirokane still gets rave reviews:
[/quote]
Yes, Maruichi is better, though I haven't been since they moved from Yoyogi.

[omae mona]

costco

The bagels at Costco were pretty darn good and a very well-kept secret, until about 3-4 years ago. That is when they changed the recipe. I was shocked when I got home and discovered they had switched from chewy to fluffy. On my next visit I asked the staff, and they confirmed they had changed the recipe in response to customer preferences.

When I am at Costco, I still occasionally stick my finger into the side of their bagel packages to see if they have gone back to the old recipe. So far, no luck. Light pressure causes the bagel to cave in. Sorry if anybody bought bagels with fingertip-sized indentations.

[wuchan]

The bagels at Costco were pretty darn good and a very well-kept secret, until about 3-4 years ago. That is when they changed the recipe. I was shocked when I got home and discovered they had switched from chewy to fluffy. On my next visit I asked the staff, and they confirmed they had changed the recipe in response to customer preferences.

When I am at Costco, I still occasionally stick my finger into the side of their bagel packages to see if they have gone back to the old recipe. So far, no luck. Light pressure causes the bagel to cave in. Sorry if anybody bought bagels with fingertip-sized indentations.

Freeze them, defrost then eat. I have had better bagels, just not in japan.

[britpopboy]

most branches of Paul's have pretty decent bagels

[Captain Japan]

I don't mind Bagel & Bagel

[FG Lurker]

Freeze them, defrost then eat. I have had better bagels, just not in japan.

I'll second this for Costco bagels. I buy four tubes of them at a time, cut them and freeze them. I generally have a toasted bagel + butter for breakfast, and I just pop out a frozen bagel and put it directly into the toaster oven. Tastes great and is not at all "fuwafuwa".

[gkanai]

I don't mind Bagel & Bagel

Ugh. That is not a bagel- that's a soft round bread!