Store: A bustling store on a mid Saturday morning. "Californication" by RHCP plays on the radio. Strong, U-Shaped line management corralled by deli cases, with some empty real estate behind the glass that could be used to better effect. Towers of loosely organized bagels behind the cases, a bounty. Near franticly busy staff but no panic to the pace. The cream cheeses are displayed with function primarily in mind; locked in staff throw the spreaders back into the respective spread mounds like throwing knives. Efficient ordering flow to the point of waiting for your order, where the system groans under the stress at the end of the pipe. There's no visual cues for your order being ready and everyone struggles to hear their number called. Nevertheless, a quality bagel shop experience. 4

Bagel: A large bagel served slightly warm. Standard topping composition with double-sided coverage. A delightfully distorted shell with no semblance of a hole. Low salt ratio visually and only rare appearances in the bite. Exceptionally doughy, and seemingly tuned to this purpose. Soft bagel lovers will do well to visit. 4.25

Cream Cheese: Served warm from the bagel heat with good amount and even coverage. A nice, chunky scallion provides good texture at intermittent bites. A fresh, smooth, and even dairy profile with no overcheese sensation. A good compliment to the softness of the bagel. 4.25