What I Got: Za’atar Tuna Salad Sandwich, Chocolate Halva Donut, Vanilla Caramel Babka

Price: $$

Location: NYC

Review:

Modern Bread and Bagel is a 100% gluten-free bakery with incredibly delicious breads, bagels, pastries, sandwiches, and pizza.  When I first went, I did not even realize it was gluten-free.  Aside from their bagels (which are a bit denser than the average bagel), the quality of their food and baked goods is in no way compromised by being gluten-free.  Their wide array of sweet treats and bagel sandwiches have me coming back again and again!

 Za’atar Tuna Salad Sandwich – The Za’atar Tuna Salad Sandwich includes flaked albacore tuna, celery, bell pepper, lemon, and za’atar, with tomato, cucumber, and arugula on a bagel.  This is the most delicious and elevated tuna salad sandwich you will ever eat!  The tuna is juicy and flavorful with the perfect subtly salty flavor.  The celery and bell pepper add a freshness while the lemon brings a lovely brightness to the tuna salad.  The za’atar is nutty and herby, giving the sandwich a complex flavor profile.  The fresh tomatoes, arugula, and cucumber are satisfyingly crunchy.  I like getting an everything bagel.  Although Modern Bread and Bagels make their bagels on the denser side, this works beautifully for a bagel sandwich.  The ancient grain flour used in the bagels gives them a delicious nutty, earthy flavor.  This is by far my favorite fish salad sandwich I’ve ever had.  If you are a fan of quality tinned fish, this is the sandwich for you!

Chocolate Halva Donut – The Chocolate Halva donut is a September special that includes a cinnamon glazed brioche donut topped with chocolate icing, halva drizzle, and coated with halva chocolate roche crumble.  It is as good as it sounds!  The donut is incredibly fluffy and moist with a satisfying subtly sweet flavor.  The texture is truly special.  I savored each airy, yet chewy bite.  The chocolate icing is rich and gooey with a deep, dark chocolate flavor.  The halva drizzle is nutty and sweet and perfectly compliments the chocolate icing.  The crumble adds a fun crunchy texture and more delicious halva flavor.  I am not usually a chocolate donut fan, but the combination of chocolate and halva made it so spectacularly delectable!  You must get one before the month is over!

Vanilla Caramel Babka – The Vanilla Caramel Babka is a September special that includes babka with a vanilla bean and caramel filling topped with vanilla crumble.  The babka has a luxuriously moist and flaky texture.  The rich, gooey filling is baked into the babka with the perfect combination of sweet and salty.  The crumble melts in your mouth with its buttery, sweet goodness.  I always love a decadent babka, and this was no exception!