Bruegger's Bagels

Bagels are something I don't really have as much as I'd like to. It's not like I have to put 100 different toppings on it to enjoy it. The only thing I normally put on there is cream cheese. Every now and then I might slice some some onions to put on there, but that's really about it. When I saw this place, I figured 'what the hell!' and decided I'd break out of my bagel routine.

In southern California, bagel shops aren't exactly high on the foods most wanted list. I think the main reason I went in there was because I was surprised to see a bagel shop in the first place. I lived in Fort Lauderdale, FL for a short time, and down there you'll find a bagel shop on every corner.

When I walked in, it was a little after 2 p.m., and the place was relatively quiet. They closed at 3 p.m., so I got a  little lucky in that regard. It had sort of a quaint, coffee shop feel to it. They offered free wi-fi and had a good number of seats inside and outside. Not too shabby!

The menu offered a wide variety of bagels and sandwiches, ranging from breakfast specialties to the savory side of things. I perused the menu for a minute and decided to go with a classic: Smoked Salmon.

The picture above is how it looked when it was given to me. To me, that looks pretty damn good. In fact, when the young lady handed it to me after she made it, the person in line behind me and myself gave her a compliment on her craft work. Hey, there's no harm in telling some one "Good Job".

I got the smoked salmon on an onion bagel. It also had tomato, red onion and capers.

Capers are one of those ingredients I tend to forget about. I like them, but it's not something I normally reach for or think "Man, this dish would be even BETTER with capers!". When I took a bite, I was a little surprised at how well the capers worked into the sandwich. It brought a nice "pop" of texture along with a hint of salty to the mellowness of cream cheese.

The smoked salmon itself was great. I've had some that are more salt or smokey flavor than fish. This salmon was incredibly tender and light in overall flavor. You could taste that it wasn't old salmon.

The only thing I felt this sandwich needed was a tiny drizzle of olive oil and some freshly cracked pepper. Even without those two items, it was still a great meal. If you happen to be in the Santa Ana-Costa Mesa area, give this one a try.

Bruegger's Bagels

2841 W Macarthur Blvd # E
Santa Ana
(714) 557-3855

On another note, my next post will be number 50. To be honest, I didn't think I would even be doing this for that long. If this is your first time seeing my blog or you have been following it for some time, I just want to say Thank You for taking the time out of your day to see my little corner of the web. I also would  like to invite you to come back in about 5 to 6 days to see the 50th post. It should be a doozy, that's for sure!

Until next time my friends!

J. Miller