Big Apple Bagels

Matthew Durkee : I'm not a big fan of country music, so the atmosphere takes a hit. But the Reuben on a pumpernickel bagel was very good. The kraut was not grilled, so it was very wet, but a bagel can handle sogginess very well. I would come back again. (2004-12-07)

Larry Jahnke : Oh well, it's a bagel place, what more can I say. Service wasn't bad once the guy in front of me shut up and moved on, and even then he still needed help finding self-service stuff. When I ordered, I was asked what kind of bagel I wanted on my Reuben... give me a break, "How about cinnamon?" After we picked out pumpernickel, the sandwich itself seemed to be ready in seconds. The price was fair for the combo with chips and a drink. I chose jalapeno deli chips and dark roast coffee.. hey, this is my lunch, not yours. The coffee was very good and the deli pickle spear was one of the best I've had at one of these events. The corned beef seemed very lean and ample. I could taste the sauerkraut, however the cheese seemed lost and the sauce was only hinted at. The bagel... ah, there's the rub... I couldn't really taste any pumper, let alone nickel. It seemed like a large doughy mass... kinda like... a bagel. Which is why I now vow never to eat another pseudo make-believe Reuben that includes the word "bagel" involved in the description of the sandwich or in the name of the business. The contents were probably fine, but the bagel just sorta smothered the entire appeal of whatever may have existed when this thing was conjured up. Oh well, at least the conversation about eBay, a cane, and a grilled cheese sandwich made it all worth while. I think it did... hey, I drove 50 miles again to be there. (2004-12-07)

Jim Kidd : I wasn't able to attend with my fellow Reubenites due to a doctor visit. Chris was good enough to get a Reuben to go. The Reuben as you all know is a grilled sandwich, so putting the same ingredients on a bagel and calling it a Reuben is a stretch. Still, it was a pretty good sandwich. A real pumpernickel bagel is used for authenticity. They layer cheese, kraut, and sauce between the thinly sliced meats. Neat trick! Everything stays in place instead of leaking out the hole in the middle. They also cut it dorsal to ventral to make it easier to eat. I've been to this place before, so I'm assuming the atmosphere and service was great. I have often seen mothers with children here at all times of the day, so it must be a good pit stop in the middle of running errands in the Avon area. (2004-12-07)

Carl Klutzke : This is an order-at-the-counter deli-style place, even though mostly they sell bagels and muffins. The menu board doesn't even indicate that they make Reuben bagel sandwiches, but little markerboard in the storefront window advertised them as the special. My sandwich included a 25-cent surcharge for using a my credit card, which was rather unwelcome: otherwise the service was friendly and good, and they brought our sandwiches out to our table when they were ready. I didn't care for the WFMS country music playing over the speakers, but that's a matter of taste, I guess. The special came with a bag of chips: they had Seyferts brands, and Baked Lays (which are really tasty but not filling at all), and I opted for some jalapeno chips that really were pretty spicy. I had my sandwich on pumpernickel, because they didn't have rye, and the bagel was pretty good, but overwhelmed all the other flavors, even though there was plenty of meat and kraut. The cheese I couldn't even taste just by itself. The sandwich was a bit drippy, but otherwise okay. (2004-12-07)

Chris Rowland : I had my Reuben on a wheat bagel instead of pumpernickel like the other Reuben eaters. I thought the corned beef used on the sandwich was rather high quality. The sauerkraut was drippy and wet, and splattered all over my plate while I was eating the sandwich. The bagel made the sandwich thick and somewhat difficult to eat. I was able to pick out the taste of Swiss and the dressing--they were okay but not stellar. For the quantity of sauerkraut on the sandwich, you would presume that it would overpower the taste, but the sauerkraut was so bland that all you noticed was the dripping. The atmosphere was the type of place where you would expect most of the patrons to be doing carryout. The dining room was comfortable enough and had contemporary decor. If I came back to Big Apple Bagels, I'd probably order their Reuben again, but I don't plan to be in that situation if I can help it anytime soon. (2004-12-07)

Brian Skiles : My rating for value is just completely arbitrary, since Reuben number 50 is considered a significant enough milestone that it is provided to you by the group. However, I can be counted on to accurately document the rest of the Reuben features. The sandwich itself was barely average. The pumpernickel bagel was the only flavor that stood out at all. All of the rest of the necessary ingredients seemed to be there, but I was rarely able to taste them. I guess that Reubens don't belong on bagels... (2004-12-07)