bagels & baguettes

bagels & baguettes
236 massachusetts avenue NE, washington, dc 20002
tel: 202)544-1141
hours of operation: mornings? i think they open for business around 6am and probably close in the early afternoon …

what was consumed: sun dried tomato bagel with light vegetable cream cheese, roast beef bagel sandwich, chicken salad bagel sandwich

on my walk to church (i currently attend national community church and attend the services at union station), i always pass this little, almost hole in the wall, bagel and bread shop. in the back of my mind, i always told myself that i should check it out (sometimes, i crave the californian/new yorker goodness that is a bagel, both in sandwich form as well as with shmears, as they call it at noah’s). now, not being a huge bread person, i wasn’t naturally inclined to look for a great bagel/bread place right off the bat. but when jess (christine’s bf … i think it was him who mentioned it to me first) had said that he read some great reviews of it in the washingtonian (i think it was the washingtonian), i knew i had to check it out.

i think the first time i ate at bagels & baguettes was when my parents were in town back in february (2007). while walking to church, christine and i mentioned how the place was supposed to be good and on our walk home, my parents suggested that we try it out, sort of as a “snack.” good suggestion, parents!

upon entering this little eatery, one will notice that there is hardly any seating. i imagine most people order to go and then eat at stanton park, just a hop skip and a jump away … or just at home. they have a nice variety of bagels to choose from and just as many ways to have the bagel prepared – breakfast style (which eggs, cheese, ham, turkey stuff, etc.) as well as sandwiches for lunch (or those who prefer that sort of thing for breakfast, i.e., me). and their bagels are delicious! not too soft, not too hard, not too chewy. just right (do i sound like goldilocks?). in any case, i could probably eat the bagel just by itself (which is to say a lot because i normally prefer some sort of spread/topping accompanying my bread, when i eat bread at all), but the fillings definitely add great flavor as well. i enjoy the sun dried tomato bagel (that has always been my favorite), but have also had the combination (i think that’s what it’s called), sesame, and plain (all delicious). i have also tried a number of different fillers – honey wheat something (a little bit sweet, but great for those who have sweet tooths (teeth?) on a plain bagel), lox and cheese (always a favorite), and … some others, but they have currently slipped my mind. point is, every time i go, i try to order something different and i have yet to find something to be “just” average.

a downside, if at all? they only take cash (some people find this to be a huge inconvenience), but because the eats are not horrendously expensive (i personally find them to be rather affordable – nothing out of the ordinary … pretty standard fare for breakfast and lunch sandwiches), so i can usually scrounge up a few dollars in cash to cover the cost of such deliciousness. YUM …