Ben & Esther's Bagels
There are so many ways Portland has surpassed my food expectations - except for when it comes to bagels. On a hunt for a decent bagel since the time we moved here, I think I’ve finally found an establishment with respectable bagels, heavenly matzoh ball soup and pastries that more than hold a candle to its NY brethren. This place is called Ben & Esther’s Bagels.
So much more than a bagel shop, Ben & Esther’s, which is located in the Roseway neighborhood on NE 69th and Sandy Blvd is also a purveyor of other nostalgic NY-deli, Jewish-style eats. For a NY Jew transplant such as myself, I can’t say how happy this makes me. And Edie seemed to very much share my sentiment:
Cinnamon raisin bagel - Edie ordered this without any kind of “schmear” and enjoyed it. It wasn’t overly big but just the right size for her. I personally like my bagels bigger and fluffier, but when in Portland, you take what you can get. And in my book, this bagel was a win.
Matzoh ball soup - I can’t rave enough about this soup because not only was it well executed and tasted just like any Jewish home should, it’s also made with veg broth. Surprised they were able to achieve that amazing, chickeney flavor, I also loved to see the colorful bits of carrots and celery inside. The matzoh balls were of course the piece-de-resistance! They were BIG, fluffy and packed with delicious homemade flavor.
Black & white cookie - Not a huge fan of this cookie in my NY days, I was interested to see B&E’s take on it. It delivered and then some! Whoever does the baking there deserves a huge kudos. The cookie was soft, cakey and topped with delightful buttercream frosting. I have to say that I don’t miss its distant cousin from the East coast one bit!
Grown-up wins
Easy lunch option - It was effortless to walk in during lunch. While the place was far from empty, there were plenty of places to sit and the vibe was great for kids and grown-ups alike.
Affordable - Bagels are a wallet-friendly option, and so is the soup. We got away with spending less than $10 for everything we had.
Matzoh-ball soup - I’d go back for just this alone, hands down. If you have someone in your household that’s under the weather, this will surely do the trick.
Kid wins
Booster seats - It was nice to be level with the table, which made everything so much easier to reach.
Bagel display - Choosing my own bagel was fun, especially since the bagels were at my eye level and I got to point to the exact one I wanted.
The cookie - I loved sharing the black-and-white cookie with mama. We broke it in half and I got to have the vanilla and the chocolate part, too!
Ben & Esther’s Bagels - 6912 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland OR. 503.477.5714
