Busboys and Poets' Bagel & Lox

While on Spring Break, I attended a trip to Washington, D.C. On our final day in the city, my friends and I decided to eat brunch at a local coffee shop called Busboys and Poets that was recommended highly to us by another friend on the trip. Once I saw they had Bagels & Lox on the menu, I knew I had to review it. Read what I thought about it below!

Summary Review Posted 3/25/21 via Instagram @tylermarston8

A special bagel blog comes today from Busboys and Poets, a restaurant and bookstore in Washington, D.C. I ordered a Bagel and Lox, garnished with lettuce, onion, cream cheese, and capers. Honestly, it was a life-changing experience. Mucho delicioso. One drawback to this bagel however was the intense emphasis on the salmon. While amazing as a whole, the bagel itself was not much more than one you could order at Einstein’s or anywhere else. Nevertheless, this light brunch meal was a great experience and if you’re in the D.C. area, I strongly recommend Busboys and Poets.

More Thoughts

As far as Busboys and Poets goes, it's superb. The atmosphere is relaxing and refreshing. There's lots of natural light and the decor creates a homey feeling. There's also a bookstore inside the cafe that only adds to the calming nature of the shop. Whether you're planning on eating a bagel or not, it's definitely worth checking out if you find yourself in D.C.

Photo courtesy of Busboys and Poets

But back to the bagel.

Busboys and Poets' Bagel & Lox dish was fantastic. The salmon was great, and so was the cream cheese and all the other garnishes. However, as I said above, the bagel itself was nothing to write home about. Was it good? Did it satisfy? Of course! But there was nothing special about the bagel that made the dish extraordinary. In fact, I would say the lox was mostly responsible for that. It was cooked perfectly and had a nice taste and texture that was complimented by the rest of the dish. Yes, the salmon was definitely the main attraction here. So much so, it should have been called Lox & Bagel.

Verdict

All of that being said, was this dish great? Yes. Should you eat here if the opportunity arises? Yes. Will I remember my trip to Busboys and Poets for the rest of my life? For sure. Is this the greatest bagel of all time? I don't think so. It didn't revolutionize me, but it also was superb. I find myself at a crossroads. Obviously, with the experience and dish being so spectacular, it should get a high rating. Nevertheless the bagel itself being just fine can't possibly be a justifiable G.B.O.A.T. contender.

In that case, I feeling a decent to strong 9 on this bagel.

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