Store: A long store, with contemporary styling (painted wood, tiling) and industrial aspects (HVAC vents, pipes and beams). A mash-up of 'Brooklyn Industrial' and 'Salty Bagel Shop'. Moderate drink selection but uncommon offerings. Smaller pastry selection, mostly wrapped, but attractively displayed. Robust, custom signage. Friendly, considerate staff. Gluten-free options. Well placed bagel hoppers. A busy rush - apparently filling delivery orders as well - makes for a long wait despite the lack of in-store patrons. The rating reflects this reality. 4.25

Bagel: Large bagel, nice irregular shape. Served warm. Double sided toppings, dense on top, light on bottom. No salt crystals but the salt pop is not missed in any way - an impressive feat. On the crusty side of the doughy/crusty continuum, but no actual crackling on bite. Wonderfully browned shell. A subtle amount of cornmeal (presumably for baking tray removal) can be found on the bottom of the bagel, usually a harbinger of inferior bagel quality. I can confidently say this is the most effective use of cornmeal I've seen yet. 4.5

Cream Cheese: Served warmed to icing levels from the bagel. Generous application and even coverage. Makes the perilous leap from frustratingly messy to deliciously decadent flawlessly. Scallion plays a huge role in texture, grounding the fluidity of the spread. Strong chunk size and great flavor contribution. A top tier cream cheese. 4.75