Walking along the sidewalks of Paris, rediscovering its beautiful architectural wonders, a simple white signboard caught my attention. Along the long street of Lafayette on the ninth district, the signboard stands long with a picture of a bagel on it (which could easily be mistaken for a doughnut from a distance.)
I was totally impressed as I walked in. The wonderful aromas and colors of the round rings mesmerized me. Rings of all textures and colors decorate the main wall behind the bar. "Bagels! In Paris! A smile got drawn on my face… The experience was so good that I came back the next day for more.
What is a bagel?
A bagel is a bread product, traditionally shaped by hand into the form of a ring from yeasted wheat dough, roughly hand-sized, which is first boiled for a short time in water and then baked. The result is a dense, chewy, doughy interior with a browned and sometimes crisp exterior. Bagels are often topped with seeds baked on the outer crust, with the traditional ones being poppy or sesame seeds. Some also may have salt sprinkled on their surface, and there are also a number of different dough types such as whole-grain or rye. Stanz, the bagel atelier serves a large variety of preparations all fitted inside this dough ring. You can choose from more than 10 different combinations of ingredients and fit them in a dozen different kinds of dough mixture. I was happy to know that last week’s special was Zaatar and Olive Oil. Yes, a Lebanese creation in a bagel. I wished I could have had the chance to taste it. The place is simple yet relaxing and well lit. Two high tables surrounded with stools, an inner seating area, white and wood general feel with bags of flour. In the background a smooth jazz music enchants the restaurant.
The available menu:
- Mini foie gras
- Mini saumon
- Mini citron
- Mini tomato
- Mini thon
- Mini smoked meat
- Mini Parmesan
- Mini vegetarian
- Mini Chevre Miel
- Original (Smoked meat, saumon, poulet, thon, vegetarian, Big daddy XXL, S&P)
The bakery bagel choices:
- Classic, Sesame, Pavot, Everything, Sel, Pumpernickel, cereal noir, cheddar herbs
Choosing the mini bagels, I tried:
- Foie Gras (Foie gras, chutney, roquettes)
- Saumon (cream cheese spessial, saumon, graines germees)
- Thon (Caviar de thon, graines germees, aubergines)
- Smoked Meat (Smoked meat, mustard violette, roquette et oignons)
- Chevre Miel (Chevre, miel, roquettes)
For dessert, I couldn’t but pick one of each:
- Praline Rose
- Chocolat Chataigne
- Nutella
- Cranberry
- Canelle & Raisin
Simply wow! The taste is just perfect. A soft non-chewy bagel where the ingredients of the dough are felt one by one. Filled with fresh ingredients, the inside mix is adequately combined to make every bite a trip into space. You need to try it to understand it. As for the sweet bagels, a simple wonder. Imagine, a bagel filled with Nutella: Awesome!
The minuses:
Other than the bagels, the brownies, cookies and "brownkies" are not good at all. Guys, stick to what you do best and that is "Bagels" - only. Trying to create a brownie cookie, the combination failed.
The experience was simply breathtaking. A welcoming owner, a professional staff, superb creations, tasty bagels and a hint of passion to complete it all. Awesome sandwiches that are light on the stomach and affordable to eat several times a week.
