Store: (Note: Store reviewed by second pass request) The original Zucker's location. Very subject to the laws of awkward Manhattan store layouts. I spent the whole time I was in the store trying to determine whether character points should be awarded or not. A reflective tape arrow immediately greets you on entry pointing you back out the door (it's meant to denote line outflow). Attentive staff direct you to stand one place or another depending on where you are in the order process. A very nice, old school spread station is tucked into the back, with a real bagel crew behind the glass. Limited drink selection, nice pastry offerings. Billy Joel's "Always A Woman" plays overhead on a sleepy Wednesday morning. When I'm politely asked by staff to move away from the cash register area with hardly anyone in the store, I realize the layout is interesting but more an obstacle for the crew to overcome. 3.75

Bagel: A medium sized bagel, fresh but not hot. Two-sided toppings, denser on bottom than top. Low salt presence in either crystal or baked-in in form. Somewhat doughier than its uptown counterpart previously cataloged on, but the read here is generally the same: the absence of salt pop would be filled very easily by a lox complement. 3.75

Cream Cheese: Served cool from the deli case. Even application, somewhere between the right amount and just a touch underapplied. Overall, I love the Zucker spread perspective of dairy ripeness with a refreshing tang. Good scallion chunk provides flavor and freshness. I'm glad to have visited this location to see the consistency across stores. 4.25