The Bagel Factory, Euston

The Bagel Factory
Mobile Unit 5
The Piazza
Euston Station
Euston
WC1H 2DN
www.bagelfactory.co.uk
020 7407 7616

by Mabel Syrup

It has long been my belief that England cannot create an authentic bagel. To be fair the bar that they are measured up against is one I had in New York which has had me reminiscing for over nine years. Is this too long to hold on to a memory? Will anything ever be able to match up?

Having watched a friend on countless mornings rustling at paper to uncover a Bagel Factory bagel nestled in the folds I was becoming increasingly intrigued - so when she offered me a free bagel courtesy of her loyalty card’s ten stamps I gratefully accepted. Would this be the place that would satisfy nine years of dreaming?

The ‘Egg Works with Sausage on Sesame with Ketchup’, however, was an insult to the entire concept of a bagel.

The so called scrambled egg - which presumably in their minds is the key to the ‘Eggworks’ name - had been microwaved in a round mould the shape of the bagel, so that it bore not even a passing resemblance to the (doubtlessly battery) hen’s egg it (hopefully) originated from. The sausage had been cut into thin strips (if it had not actually been formed this way to start off with) and somehow had both a grey appearance AND texture. It is not even possible to grade it on an OCIS basis. I can’t even bring myself to mention the cheese. And the bagel? Untoasted for a start, the ‘chewy flavour and grainy warm aroma’ the Bagel Factory’s website talks about was noticeably absent.

My advice? Go to New York. Stick to cream cheese. And never try bagels in Euston.