Difference from NY bagels:
- smaller
- much sweeter
- no distinction between "top" and "bottom" (ok har har)
- less dense
Difference from St. Viateur, the "rival" bagel shop a block away:
- less dense
- 10 cents more expensive, at 80 cents each
- supposedly preferred by locals (St. Viateur is known as the "tourist" bagel shop?)
- shop is a little nicer/touristy looking, with a much bigger variety
- 10-person lineup on a Friday afternoon (St. Viateur was empty at the same time)
That's pretty much it. I like my bagels chewier so I preferred St. Viateur. And I like things salty rather than sweet so I prefer my hometown's bagels. ;) But you just can't deny the inherent deliciousness of a bread product straight from the oven.
Don't like sesame on your bagels? Get a sesame bagel anyway! Sesame seeds freshly toasted under direct flame in a wood-fired oven = amazing nutty flavor imparted to your hot bagel. I guess NY sesame bagels don't have anywhere near this flavor because they're usually baked in a conventional oven?