FOOD NEWS
Anthony Bourdain Chose A Clear Side On The Montreal Vs. NYC Bagel Debate
BY NIKKI MUNOZ
If you’ve been to the bagel meccas of Montreal and New York, you may have strong opinions about which city has the superior version, just like Anthony Bourdain had.
When asked his opinion about the best bagel city by Delish, Bourdain, a native New Yorker, promptly answered, “New York.” However, his take is more nuanced than that.
On an episode of “The Layover,” Bourdain said of the debate, “It’s a completely ridiculous apples and oranges discussion. [The bagels] are completely different creatures.”
He added, “I’m a New Yorker so you know where my allegiance lies. But I think it’s unfair to both quite magnificent products to try to compare them.”
For a Montreal-style bagel, the dough is poached in sweetened water before being baked in a wood-fire burning oven. They’re smaller, thinner, and more airy than NYC bagels.
New York City’s bigger bagels are usually baked in more conventional ovens. Their famous soft yet chewy texture can be attributed to the minerals in the city’s tap water.