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Ugh. I have now given up on St Urbain. I have very negatively reviewed their Eglinton/Ave Rd location (previously loved it up until mid 2013) and said that I would only go to the St Lawrence Market location where they are much better. It seems that the St Lawrence location has also gone down hill. So very disappointed and sad about this!
LOCATION
Upstairs in the south east corner of the market.
QUALITY
The bagels are now very tough. Montreal style bagels should have a nice chew to them, but these were unpleasantly tough the way a stale day old would be. It's like they aren't leavened enough before they boil them.
If you don't know, Montreal Style bagels don't have salt in the dough and have a tiny hint of sweetness. I wish they put some salt mixed in with the seeds to compensate.
They are generous with the poppy seeds.
They run out of quite a bit by early afternoon on weekends, so they do have their fans.
I would not recommend them anymore, though.
SERVICE
I asked for a few toasted bagels. It took FOREVER. As in 10 minutes to get half a dozen bagels and 2 toasted bagels. They are using a rinky dink home toaster now. Plus it took another 10 minutes behind 2 people ---- there were 3 staff behind the counter & 3 customers...No excuse for being that slow. The bagel cutting station didn't seem very tidy or sanitary. I know poppy and sesame seeds can get everywhere, but this is beyond that.
CLEANLINESS
By afternoon on a weekend, their store area looked dirty and cluttered --- especially back where they boil the bagels. They also had a tray of uncovered bagels sitting right by the cash register where anyone could sneeze or pick over during cold season. The bins that display the bagels were empty, and, instead, there was a "tub" behind the cash register where remaining bagels of every flavour were pooled together and rubbing their flavour off on one another. Anyone for onion flavour on your cinnamon raisin bagel????
The same person who handles the cash also handles the bagels. Yuck! AND hands weren't washed in between and she kept switching back to the same pair of re-used gloves instead of changing them.
A staff member was wearing a pretty draping scarf --- you know, the kind that don't get washed every time? I want to see staff wearing a clean apron and outfit everyday since, when they bend over into the bagel tub, they are rubbing that outer wear on food surfaces. Long hair was tied up, but I want to see a hat or hairnet, too.
They are located next to the south garbage door and across from a fish monger. Despite sub zero temperatures, wafting garbage stench kept fouling my nose when the garbage doors opened. The fish area was very fresh (no fish smell in the slightest), but it somehow bothered me to have the fish heads on ice and dried salt cod in the open a few feet away potentially splattering with wet winter boots up to the counter where the uncovered bagels were. Or that little kids can put their paws on the open fish containers and smear it all over the nearby bagel counter.
I guess with all the ultra clean, up-to-code stainless steel meat/fish counters in the market, it makes it look even more grungy in comparison.
The little door that leads possibly to their tiny office, was covered with hangings which add to the cluttered look.
Very poor display of products. Old clear acrylic bins that are rather scratched. up.
PARKING
There is limited uncovered, crowded Green P parking behind the building at The Esplanade & Market St; you can access it via Lower Jarvis St. If you go further south on Market street until it dead ends at the train tracks, there is covered Green P parking tower that takes credit card tap payment.
I always see parking enforcement on Market St, so be warned.
HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE
Generally, I'd say the Market is so crowded that it's a nightmare for anyone in a wheelchair & has too long of stretches for anyone attempting it with a walker. I know you can access the top level without stairs from Front St E and walk all the way back. If you need to go to the lower level for another store, you can enter without steps from the Market St entrance.
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