PrintFlagel = Flat Bagel
This weekend was the first time I decided to trek above 14th Street to visit David's Bagels on 1st Avenue near 19th Street in Manhattan, and my first encounter with a flat bagel, or "flagel." I was a regular at the David's Bagel location on 1st Avenue between 13th and 14th Street (sadly, it closed at the end of August), but had never seen flat bagels offered there.
Curious, I had to learn more about this crunchier species of bagel. Like, how does a flagel get so flat? First it helps to know a little bit about bagel preparation. Bagel dough is mixed and kneaded, then shaped into a bagel. The bagels are then proofed for at least 12 hours before boiling for a few minutes, and finally finished in the oven. It's this process that produces a bagel's (or flagel's) shiny, crispy exterior and tender interior. A phone call to David's Bagels confirmed my hunch—a flagel is a bagel that's flattened after it's been boiled and before it goes into the oven.
According to Village Voice food critic Robert Seitsema, the flagel was born in Brooklyn at Tasty Bagels in the early nineties amidst the low-carb diet craze. I suspect that more than one flagel creation story may exist, as with the multiple origins of the everything bagel, but we'll stick with Tasty Bagels' version for now.
And to be clear, you are not necessarily eating less bagel when you eat a flagel. We weighed two bagels from David's, a flagel and a regular bagel—both were 5.6 ounces.
Bagel or flagel, which do you prefer? Any flagel sightings outside of New York? We confirmed that flagels can be found in Delray Beach, Florida at Way Beyond Bagels (map). Any others where you live?
David's Bagels
331 1st Avenue, New York NY (b/n 19th and 20th Streets; map)
212-780-2308
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21 Comments:
In Scottsdale, Arizona there is a great bagel shop called Lox, Stock and Bagel. They have a similar bagel to your Flagel, they call it a Bially. I like them much better than regular bagels
brkbrdy at 4:38PM on 09/24/08
Uh, A bialy is a bialy, not a flat bagel.
wthrop at 4:46PM on 09/24/08
So...? What does it taste like? Is is crunchy in the middle? Dry? I'm assuming the flavors are the same, but texture? Do you think it would make a better or worse sandwich bread? Better for soaking up runny eggs maybe?
greyrussian at 4:50PM on 09/24/08
why can't a bagel just be a bagel?
blondee47 at 4:56PM on 09/24/08
Bagelry on 30th and 3rd used to have flagels too. They reopened under some other name but I haven't been since. I'm also fairly certain I've had them growing up in Jersey along with bagel stix.
They pretty much taste like a bagel with the inside scooped out, more chewy crust. Greyrussian, i'd expect you'd want more bagel innards to absorb the runny eggs rather than a higher ratio of crust to innards.
ESNY1077 at 5:01PM on 09/24/08
I absolutely love flagels. A bagel place in Queens called Hot Bialys has great ones but I've rarely come across one I don't like.
I prefer the crunchy outside of a bagel to the chewy inside so it's perfect for me.
Jacquie at 5:11PM on 09/24/08
@brkbrdy: It's true, a bialy is a totally different and wonderful thing and not a bagel. For one, bialys are not boiled.
@greyrussian: ESNY1077 describes what a flagel tastes like. More crust, less innards. I think they're better for sandwich making, worse for soaking up runny eggs.
Alaina Browne at 5:42PM on 09/24/08
I feel like this must have started out, like most things, as an accident.
Laurel E at 6:00PM on 09/24/08
The new location of Bagel World in Toronto sells flagels.
jeninewsbite at 6:39PM on 09/24/08
A flagel's reason for existence is simple - to provide more crust! It has exactly the same calorie/carb content as a regular bagel so I'm not sure if I believe the story about it being born from the low carb craze.
Hate the name but I love the concept - nothing better than a fresh, flat, sesame bagel with cream cheese!
(PS - The difference between a bagel and bialy is not just that one is boiled and one is not...I believe that they use different flours.)
JeffsInTheKitchen at 7:00PM on 09/24/08
For over 30 years, a flat bagel, with topping or without, has been known as a pletzel - at least in Cleveland.
You can get them small, you can get them, large. They are WONDERFUL. But new, they are not!
ohiogal at 9:34PM on 09/24/08
Okay, as with the bialy/bagel comments...pletzels are great but they're not a flagel. I'm from Long Island, NY and the flagels are quite popular. I think they make for a more-accessible bagel sandwich (not as tall which often leads to squished out inside when one takes a bite). My favorite place, Gabby's Bagels in Syosset, NY, makes the best lox spread (chunks of lox and capers rather than the salty pink spread you find elsewhere) and got me hooked on flagels simply as they allow for more bites of that delicious combo of bagel and lox spread.
DGERSON at 11:02PM on 09/24/08
Terrace Bagels in Windsor Terrace (224 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn) has flagels. They call them flats. I've tried them and I do like the additional surface area--more space for my lox spread--but I generally go for a regular bagel.
BrooklynBrownie at 11:46PM on 09/24/08
I thought it was just another name for a pletzl, but that one looks like it's halfway between a bagel and a pletzl.
Incidentally, since Ms. Brown mentions southern Palm Beach County, Florida, a few miles up the road in West Boynton "Bagels &..." does a respectable pletzl.
hatless at 8:28AM on 09/25/08
Flats are regular bagels that have been flattened out, and are generally more expensive because of the extra labor. They're crunchier and have more texture- Best Bagels in Great Neck have the best flats (nobody calls them flagels here), expecially the sunflower one. Highly recommended!
lovetobake at 10:27AM on 09/25/08
@jeninewsbite: We might know people in common, depending on how long you've been at the CRFA. Also, I was a temp there for three days a little over two years ago.
..and yeah, what Jen said about finding flagels in our neighbourhood. When Serious Eats tweeted an inquiry about where to find flagels outside NYC I tossed that fact their way.
I prefer bagels- but not at Bagel World, unless they're twisters. The last time I bought bagels at BW they tasted like they the ones that are manufactured in a factory and sold in bags at the supermarket.
CanadianFoodieGirl at 10:47AM on 09/25/08
i live in texas and i get my bagels and bialys imported from NY/NJ, from my folks because i believe that's the only place to get good ones.
i may be a bagel snob in saying this, but i refuse to buy them down here because they are far inferior in texas or anywhere else, to what you can get up in the NY/NJ area.
dozertx at 12:23PM on 09/25/08
Have been loving flagels since 2002! They have it at the Cafe Metro on 48th and 6th Ave of all places. Not sure if other Cafe Metros carry my little breakfast heaven. I like the more crust and the more surface area for spread/filling of a flagel. Definitely better toasted.
HolyShitake at 6:40PM on 09/25/08
I had my first flagel about a year ago.... Bagel Boys in Monroe New york. everything toasted flagel with cream cheese chives and bacon.... delicious... not too many peopple have heard of them but everyone that I have turned onto them becomes addicted... even the little 90 year old lady I shop for..
caliporsche at 7:34AM on 11/11/08
they are made in rockland county; new city and nanuet.. davids, bagel boys, goldbergs bagels. an everything flagel with lox cream cheese is great.
mzanem at 10:14PM on 06/03/09
I was taking a weekend in Bucks County Pa. When I stumbled upon a Deli named Bagel Junction in Newtown. Their Flagels and traditional Bagels are as good as any in NYC .The lines to the front door were there for a reason and their prices were a relief compared to NY. This place is like home away from home. If your craving NY food this is the place!
Foodieking at 3:27PM on 09/20/09