Leo’s Bagels

Whenever I hear about a new place opening in the Financial District close to my office, I get excited, even though I don’t plan on being here forever (I swear it!).  I even walked down there to take pictures of the place when it first opened, but I forgot to post them cuz I don’t use Flickr and whatever.  I kind of forgot about them for a while since I’ve been focusing on bringing lunch.  But then, as usual, the lovely Daniel Krieger reminded me with a post on Midtown Lunch: Downtown Lunch that the place was open, in business, and bringing it with regard to sandwiches… made on bagels.

(Since Rosario’s shut down in June 2008, I have been unable to find good sandwiches in the area.  I mourn the loss of Rosario’s greatly – even during this meatless period – and wish desperately that they reopen soon, before I stop working down here.  Where else would they make a giant sandwich with roast beef, bacon, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, tomato, balsamic vinegar, a squish of mayo… and charge only $9.25?  I couldn’t fit that thing in my mouth!  [That’s what she said.]  Sorry.  I’m digressing.) 

I have to mention here that I’ve never been a fan of bagel sandwiches.  I don’t really know why.  I eat my bagels with cream cheese, open faced, one bit at a time (there’s double cream cheese that way) (cough this is why I’m fat).  Actually, I do know why I’m not a fan of bagel sandwiches.  It’s similar to what I mentioned in the Banh Mi cart post – I don’t like when the bread part is hard enough to make everything squish together, and either get smashed flat and/or shoots out of the sandwich and you’re left cleaning your monitor off…  I think my first few bagel sandwiches were like that, and I just stopped trying (I was probably between the ages of 10 and 15 during that time, so don’t judge me!). 

But back to the food.  That’s what you really want to know about, right?  Well, I went here almost two weeks ago now, so I was still eating fish.  I scanned the menu and decided quickly that I wantd a specialty sandwich.  Let’s take a closer look at that menu, shall we?

That leaves my choices to two from that menu.  Without thinking much about it, I chose the Orchard Street.  I’ve never had sable from a kosher deli or heard of it in this application, so I was really keen to try it.  I love sablefish/butterfish/black cod for its high fat content.  It’s super silky smooth, fatty, and has this succulent, delicate flavor to it… yum.  Also, I really like cream cheese and the other ingredients appealed to me.  After I’d ordered it, the counterguy looked a bit confused until I pointed at the menu and he sort of nodded.  I don’t think many people order this sandwich.

Probably because it’s $13.75!  It’s the most expensive item on their menu, easily (I think).  What the heck?!  Stupid, stupid me! 

I also grabbed an Ito En Green Tea from the drinks case which had no prices posted, mostly because I rarely see this drink in the area around my office, and I really like it.  I should start buying it by the case.  It’s really good for your system, too.

My sandwich finally ready, I went to pay. 

I probably should post this at the end, but I have to share with you how much that Ito En was.  $2.50.  That is just highway robbery, for damn sure.  What the hell?! 

Now, is the sandwich worth $15?

In all its glory, shortly after I received it and recovered from the price tag.

Cream cheese, layers of smoked salmon, onion, tomato that isn’t completely pale and weak (since they’re out of season, not bad!), more cream cheese.  Where’s the sable?  I can see a little bit ringing around the edges…

I actually went home to eat this; it doubled as both lunch & dinner.  It was massive.  The bagel was not so hard that the insides squished out, nor was it so soft that you couldn’t call it a bagel.  Actually, the bagel was soft enough to bite easily through all the ingredients without losing anything.  I’m pretty sure not a drop fell out and touched my plate.  Maybe a little piece of sablefish from the side.  Nothing major though; the sandwich kept its integrity.

Really?  This was an amazing sandwich.  I was in love with it, biting gently at first, then nibbling faster & harder, then just taking giant mouthfuls to absorb as much of it as possible.  It was heaven.  It was delicious.  It was… nom-worthy. 

But.

I hate to tell you there is a “but”… well two.

But was the sandwich worth its price tag?

But did the sable add to the sandwich? 

The sable, which I took out a piece to eat on its own, was creamy, fatty, and fall-apart tender.  I liked it, and I wouldn’t mind having a sandwich with just that and some cream cheese, maybe tomato.  Or on its own.  But with everything else going on here, I felt like it was a bit lost in the sandwich, so it probably wasn’t a necessary player for the awesome that was this sandwich.  It just added to the cost – it’s the most expensive fish on the list here (sharing that honor with two other fishes, granted, but still).  And there wasn’t even that much. 

As for the sandwich being worth its price tag… sure the ingredients make it worth its price tag, and it was pretty damn good, but I don’t think it’s even an occasional treat, since the sable really does get lost in there.  I would recommend trying it once if you must, but sticking to something that might overwhelm the sable less, or leaving that out altogether.  A perfectly delicious sandwich can be had for less here, I firmly believe this. 

I will definitely be back to test this theory – the same sandwich minus the sable, or a sable sandwich alone, with a schmear, or … any number of combinations available here.  Just not the most expensive item on the menu, which I blindly chose. 

(There are definitely ways to justify the cost; the sandwich being two meals for me means that it was really only $7.50 per meal, which isn’t that bad.  You can justify it to your heart’s content, but my big contention was with the sable being overshadowed.) 

Yvo says: The bagel is pretty good – chewy, soft with still resistance to each bite, the way a good bagel should be – and I would definitely like to go for a regular old bagel with cream cheese sometime, even though the prices are a bit restrictive.  The sandwich is mostly stroke of genius – the pairings are pretty classic, and yet… just awesome!  Except for the sable, which seems to really be there simply to raise the cost.  I’ll definitely be back.  Where else this far south in the Financial District can I get real, good bagels???
recommended

Leo’s Bagels
3 Hanover Square

PS They also have all sorts of fun things around, like Fat Witch Babies (brownies) in a couple of different flavors, fruit leather, baked goods like cookies, etc. though I’m not sure if those are made on the premises… fun stuff.