A week in Melbourne: Glick’s Cakes & Bagels, 10 July 2009

I credit Wifey with introducing me to bagels, albeit the purple-tinged blueberry variety commonly found at mass coffee chains. At first it was the toasted sugary goodness contrasted with cool cream cheese that roped me in, but then I discovered plain bagels, seeded bagels, savoury toppings and flavoured cream cheeses. So when I was in Melbourne I had to pay the well-known Glick’s a visit. Some purists argue that Glick’s is not as good as it used to be but, not being a local, I had no biases.

Staying in Melbourne CBD it was easiest for me to visit their store on Flinders Lane. Glick’s is reputed as a kosher retailer so it was reassuring to see plenty of young Jewish families dining in-store. The staff were also very helpful in packaging cutlery and utensils for a young lady purchasing a kosher lunch for a friend. I, on the other hand, being Asian must have looked interestingly out of place sitting down to a table for one with my bagel.

I ordered a toasted poppyseed bagel with smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers and baby spinach. This is my favourite bagel combination but usually without the spinach as most places don’t have it. I’m normally happy for red onion or cucumber slices to offer substituted crunch instead. And although slightly flattened from toasting, I can honestly say this is the best bagel I have ever had – it is chewy but not overly so, has a thin crust, and is doughy and dense but not dry on the inside. The salmon is oily and smoky, the cream cheese smooth and dreamy and the capers offer just the right amount of popping saltiness.

I pick up a few sweet things before leaving Glick’s to visit Anna, and it isn’t until I later check their website that I discover they have a store at Bondi in Sydney. I feel the inkling of a local visit coming on…

Glick’s Cakes & Bagels

325 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC

Tel: (03) 9614 0533

Opening Hours:  Mon-Fri  7:30am-4pm

                        Sat & Sun  CLOSED

happy eating!