Restaurant: Modern Bread and Bagel, B&B Bagels, Ess-a-Bagel

Price: $$$

Location: NYC

Review:

Everyone has their favorite type of bagel sandwich.  When I’m craving a bagel, I may go for an egg sandwich or a bagel with cream cheese, but my favorite of all time is a bagel with fish salad!  If you go to the right place, fish salads can be incredibly flavorful using fresh, quality fish.  Put that delicious salad on a fresh New York bagel, nothing could be better!  I have three specific places I like to get my fish salad bagel sandwiches…

1. Modern Bread and Bagel –  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! *An extra bonus: all their bagels are gluten-free while still super delicious!*

2. B&B Bagels – Baked Salmon Salad Sandwich:

The baked salmon salad sandwich includes a sliced (and optionally toasted) bagel with baked salmon salad and your choice of toppings for an additional charge.  I like getting it on a pumpernickel bagel with cucumber and tomato.  Although the bagel is relatively thin, it has amazing, earthy pumpernickel flavor and is piled with a generous mountain of baked salmon salad at least two inches high.  I’m willing to sacrifice a big bagel for lots of salmon salad.  When I first ordered this sandwich, I smiled from ear to ear as soon as I saw the incredible portion of salmon salad on the bagel.  The salad has the perfect salty salmon flavor with a subtle creamy yet flaky texture.  The refreshing cucumber and bright tomato balance out the salty salmon and provide great crisp and juicy texture to the sandwich.  If you are a baked salmon salad lover like me, B&B is the place to go!

3. Ess-a-Bagel – The Muriel:

This bagel sandwich includes baked salmon salad, tomato, and melted muenster cheese on a toasted bagel.  On the menu, it is on a whole-wheat bagel, but I like it on an everything bagel.  The baked salmon salad is delicious and salmony.  The mayonnaise does not take away from the salmon texture or flavor, but instead holds it together and keeps it moist.   The tomato perfectly balances out the salty salmon, and the cheese adds a scrumptious melty touch. The bagel is not piled with as much salmon salad as B&B, but Ess-a-Bagel makes much higher quality bagels making the sandwich delicious in a different way.  When I am craving a really good bagel or want a richer sandwich with cheese, I go with the Muriel.