Store: The smell of baking bagels on entry always sets a great store tone. A fairly small, rectangular store with a classic, functional aesthetic. Good spread display and variety, limited pastry and drink selection. 80's pop music plays on the radio. Fast staff but not super attentive to the order. Overall a very solid experience. 4

Bagel: A large bagel with just an impression of a central hole. Toasted without request, a mighty presumption. Typically I can catch staff if they don't ask and I see them heading towards the toaster, but ultimately that's not on the customer. As it is, a good toasted bagel. Light toppings on both sides - standard composition - provides good flavor boost. Crusty as a toasted bagel naturally would be. Not much novelty to be found here. 3.75

Cream Cheese: Served warm from the bagel toasting. All the virtues of a heated spread on display: fluid viscosity, silk texture and a more buttery taste profile overall. Chunk scallion adds decent texture presence. The self-coined axiom "toasting a bagel raises its floor but lowers its ceiling" holds no sway when it comes to cream cheese evaluation, as you're supplying conditions most spreads thrive in. As such, grading will not be punished unduly. 4