Albert Einstein Would Eat Here
Written: Jan 27 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great Bagels, Delicious Coffee, Wonderful Employees
Cons: So-So Lunch
The Bottom Line: I love Einstein Bagels, and am seriously thinking about getting breakfast there tomorrow.
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| toiletoctopus's Full Review: Einstein Bros. Bagels |
There is nothing better than a doughnut and coffee in the morning. It can make a rough start, after falling off the wrong side of the bed for the second straight day, a bit of an improvement over what's to be expected. However, as doughnuts are the worst possible item you can eat healthwise, there's another bakery item right behind them. Bagels are my second love, and when it comes to finding restaurants that serve these, there are plenty of choices in my area. I love living within a mile radius of four exclusively "bagel places", and my favorite of all of them is Einstein Bagels.
There are hundreds of these in the United States, and three locations are close enough, that I've eaten breakfast at each of them. I do want to state for the record, that this has not occured on the same day, even though I am fanatical about their bagels. The experience at an Einstein Bagels is fairly straightforward, as you walk up to the serving line, and place your order. Even during busy weekday mornings, they have plenty of employees ready to handle the inevitable throngs of angry commuters, and they keep the line moving. You can expect to place your order, and have it rung up within three minutes on each visit. While in the serving line area, you can pick up a bottle of oj or milk, and consider what coffee you want to get.
There are loads of bagels to pick from, and plenty of toppings as well. They have at least fifteen different types, ranging from plain to pumpernickel or blueberry twist. I'm a bit boring as I usually go with either plain or onion bagels, topped with regular butter or cream cheese. They are more generous with the cream cheese than other bagel establishments, and I want to thank them for putting just the right amount of butter on the bagels. Some bagel restaurants give you butter with a side of a bagel. Its disgusting to open your paper wrapper and see it loaded with butter, and while Einstein doesn't skim you on this, they don't put too much on it either.
They have some of the best peanut butter I have ever had. I don't know what brand it is, but on my next visit I'm going to try to remember to ask. It has just the right level of creaminess, with a perfectly roasted peanuts taste to it that's hard to describe. Do you like jelly? You can get that on your bagel as well, and if you are really adventurous, you can go with the lox or salmon. I wish I could say I was that fancy, but I didn't like the salmon, so I will stick to the traditional toppings from now on. The fish that they used was not of bad quality, its just that I don't like to eat this type of food in the morning.
If you go to lunch here, which I rarely do, they do have a limited amount of choices. The one that I'm particularly crazy about is their bagel hot dog. You get a spicy hotdog wrapped and cooked in bagel dough, and it is really filling. It costs just a few bucks, and its paired well with one of their side salads, and a good soda or their cup of coffee. The bagel pizza that I had there was decent enough, but it was nothing that I couldn't make at home, or get from the Trader Joe's Ready to Bake Pizza Bagels. They have some potato chips as as side, and they do offer brownies. I haven't had one yet, but they do look good.
If you are fanatical about coffee, they have some of the best around. I love their Euro-French Blend, which is strong enough to awake even the most dreary of person. It has a rich, refined flavor that is better than any other French Roast I've tried, and its so strong I looked in the mirror to see a beret on my head. Unlike some more robust coffees, it does not have any acidic flavor, or an undesirable aftertaste. The Neighborhood Blend is more light bodied, and while not weak, it is better for people not looking for a eye opening experience. Its a lot like the Starbucks Breakfast Blend, and I get it when wanting to try something new. They sometimes have a special blend during holiday periods that are usually great, and if you want decaf they have that as well. I still have not had the Vanilla Hazelnut, and I probably never will, as there's just no interest.
The main reason I visit Einstein, in addition to the high quality of food and coffee, is the service. This company seems to hire the right type of people, as they are always cheerful, and have been very helpful. There was one time when I was given the wrong order, and they took care of it quickly, and offered me a free coffee. Now that is service! The management is very hands on, and always interacting in a positive manner with staff and customers. They always seem to have the right number of people on the line, and there is usually one employee at minimum keeping the dining area tidy.
You aren't going to find any padded booths here, but the chairs are comfortable enough. They offer enough support and room, and I like how the tables are big enough for your order and to fully spread out the newspaper. You can expect fairly large crowds during the 6 am-9 am hours, but the rest of the day it is fairly quiet. They usually play soft rock music at a low volume, and I like how clean each of their locations has been. They keep sweeping and cleaning tables on a continuous basis, and the bathrooms are sparkling with all of the necessary supplies.
Einstein Bagel is a great place to stop by for breakfast. They are a bit limited on lunch items, but I do like a hot dog bagel from time to time. You can't go wrong with a couple of bagels from here, which are baked fresh daily, along with that strong cup of coffee. There are plenty of these to choose from, as they are spread all over the country, and are a wonderful place to go before work or on a road trip. They are family friendly as well, and I cannot think of a better establishment for bagel fanatics.
Recommended:
Yes
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