If you have never tasted one you are definitely missing out on one of life's unique pleasures. As everyone who has ever tasted one will tell you, there truly are no other bagels in the world that compare. The interesting catch is that even using the same recipe elsewhere in the world, they don't turn out the same. There are many theories as to why this might be, but the one I find perhaps the most plausible is that the the water (yes, good old municipal Montreal water), is the secret ingredient.
There are two main traditional bagel shops in Montreal, St. Viateur and Fairmont, both on their eponymous streets in the Plateua/Mile End area of the city. While bagels from both are delicious, my favorite is St. Viateur, and I can't explain why. The shop on St. Viateur is open 24 hours a day, and you can stop in for a piping fresh bagel literally whenever your heart desires. There are also other outlets all over the city. Thankfully, even if you don't live in Montreal you can order them online to ship anywhere in Canada or the USA, www.stviateurbagel.com
My personal favorite is to custom order the whole wheat bagel at the Monkland location (5629 Monkland, 514-487-8051), and they can be ready for pick up in about 20-30 minutes. You might be thinking whole wheat bagels!? Yes, I dare say they might even be tastier than the traditional ones, and certainly retain all the fluffy chewiness these little gems are notorious for.
Enjoy!
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