197900 Wed Nov 13 15:42:48 -0800 2002 9 18 Manhattan 0 1055676 I went to the one in midtown east yesterday and it wasn't as good as the one downtown on 1st avenue. What's the deal? Maybe it was just the fact that the midtown decor wasn't very appealing and that my everything bagel only had the goods on one side. Wed Nov 13 15:42:48 -0800 2002 0 stu 1 1055707 maybe they're making them in larger batches at the uptown branch. also the crew may be different or trained differently. for a midtown bagel, i like tal a few blocks away from Essa on first avenue. good spreads and nice bagels. and i'm a die-hard essa fan. i still live across the street from the other one. hey a question, do you or does anyone you know like salt bagels? aren't thay always way too salty? Wed Nov 13 18:01:59 -0800 2002 1055676 0 epicure-us 2 1055711 I don't like them, but I have one friend who does. He says they're like soft pretzels. Wed Nov 13 19:07:43 -0800 2002 1055707 0 dude 3 1055756 I like a salt bagel with vegetable (or if they'r out, scallion) creamcheese. i've been to ess-a-bagel on 1st and 21st. wasn't thrilled with the experience. i realized that some people enjoy the novelty of a rude person behind the counter but i've found david's bagels to be equal in quality if not better (plus they have egg bagles) and they forgo the attitude. the one between 19th and 20th is okay but the one just south of 14th on 1st ave is where i tend to go. Thu Nov 14 10:45:13 -0800 2002 1055711 0 Margaret 4 1056314 I have lived in the downtown Esa-a-bagel area for about 10 years. I used to be a devoted Esa customer, and would sometimes hand carry a few dozen everything and garlic to my brother in Boston (where quality bagels are in short supply). This all changed when I was introduced to David's Bagels just two blocks south of Esa on First Avenue & 19th Street. David's are slightly smaller than Esa's dough balls, but most chow hounders will agree, quality above quantity. This isn't to say David's are like golf balls. They are, in my opinion, a properly sized bagel. Besides having tastier bagels, and the famous flat bagel which is my 4-year-old son's current favorite, David's provides a superior bagel buying experience. The staff is friendly, they toast(for those want to go that route) and have a pleasant seating area. Esa has perhaps the worst store layout of any shop I've visited. If you've ever been to Esa on a weekend, you know what i'm talking about. The line for bagel sandwiches stretches in front of the door into the table area. A seperate line for bagels only, is in the back of the crowded store next to the cashier, altough you would never know it unless you wait in the sandwich line for 10 minutes to find out you're in the wrong line. A few years ago they completely renovated the store but did absolutely nothing to improve the traffic flow-a missed oportunity. When you finally reached the front of the line, a bagel man exhibiting some sort of skin irritation on his arms would yell out "NEXT", as if it was in doubt. Never again, I thought. David's also has another store at 14th Street & 1st Avenue, however, I am partial, as most New Yorkers are, to their uptown store at 19th Street and rarely cross 14th Street. Thu Nov 21 13:13:11 -0800 2002 1055756 0 Orson 2 1055735 I like salt bagels occasionally, based on the spread. They are very salty, but every now and then there's nothing better than a Tal salt bagel with whitefish salad. The whitefish/salt balance is just about right. I certainly would not get salt with most other toppings (especially my favorite - sable). In fact, I think I'm going to head to Tal this morning. Thu Nov 14 07:43:22 -0800 2002 1055707 0 OPJK 2 1055742 where is tal exactly? i love whitefish, so i would like to try this combination. Thu Nov 14 09:35:16 -0800 2002 1055707 0 stu 1 1055732 Well the everything bagels downtown(i assume you mean 1st and 20 or 19th) also only have the goods on one side. I've never had a better bagel though. If you can get a hot everything right out of hte oven w/ cream cheese its pure heaven. Thu Nov 14 01:04:18 -0800 2002 1055676 0 desidetergent 2 1055744 Essa is 21st, SW corner. the tal i've been to is on 1st and 51st or so. sorry, i can't be more exact. i know it is close to the sidestreet with the neighborhood playhouse and the community pool if that helps. the other tals are on 86th street between 1st and second and on broadway between 90th and 91st. Thu Nov 14 09:50:45 -0800 2002 1055732 0 epicure-us 1 1055764 What is tal? Thu Nov 14 11:27:49 -0800 2002 1055676 0 adam