Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Bagelicious, Hawthorn MELB

I've walked in the shoes of a sleep deprived student and am currently in the shoes of a respectable health professional. Different occupations but one thing both of them have in common is the need for nutritious and affordable food. Being healthy is one of the top trends these few years and yours truly has joined the bandwagon to the fit and healthy road.

Owner Yonathan was kind enough to invite me and a friend to join him at his new outlet in Hawthorn and being situated near Swinburne University and the train station, I reckon this makes it an ideal brekkie/lunch spot for both students and workers.

First up, just about everything on the menu sounds very healthy. Each smoothie listed had a good blend of fruit involved and if fruit is too sweet for your liking, why not try one of their freshly squeezed juices?

We had a mini sample of iced coffee and it felt like one of the best iced coffees I have tried thus far. Not overly blended with ice and had a good hint of caffeine in it without being overly thick. Highly recommended!


We tried a bowl of red lentil soup which was loaded with a good amount of vegetables. When a bit of house-made bagel crouton was added to the soup, it gave the soup a different dimension in terms of texture and flavour. We loved the croutons so much that we brought one bag home to snack on!

I have drunk a fair share of chai lattes in the past and most of the time, it's watered down and overly creamy. However, the chai latte that I got from Bagelicious was perfect and would be something that I won't mind having on a daily basis if only I was working nearby.

My friend had the acai smoothie which was acai berries blended with banana and mixed with apple juice. The friend drank most of it and only allowed me a few sips (something he does when he likes what he's having and is reluctant to share).

Press toast bagel with smoked chicken, pesto, roast capsicum, red onion and cheddar ~ a good flavour combination that is complemented by the freshness of the ingredients used. As you can see, the toasted bagel was given a lot of care in terms of how it's been handled and so, the filling did not cause a mess during consumption. The dipping mayo and pickles were an added treat. Feel free to utilize the mayo based on your preference but for me, I deliberately dunked a big chunk of the bagel into the mayo because I thought it was a marriage made in heaven.

Spinach, mushroom and swiss cheese egg bagel sandwich ~ after slaving away in the gym, I want to maintain a healthy diet so that my gym efforts will not be in vain. And so, an egg bagel sandwich sounds like a protein packed meal that will nourish my body well. If you're really into the whole fitness idea, Bagelicious can prep up a lean egg sandwich for you just for an extra $2. This sandwich filled me up pretty quickly.

On a separate note, I love the bagels used at Bagelicious. They have a pillow-y soft bread texture whilst still retaining a crunchier bagel exterior. One can opt to choose the type of bagel they want be it wholemeal, cheese, plain or poppy seeded.

To finish off our palates, we were offered a warm bagel and a good serving of blueberry cream cheese spread. We generously layer the spread onto the bagel and boy, was it a sinful yet satisfying treat. The cream cheese spread glided onto the warmed up bagel pretty easily and if my friend isn't looking, I would have gladly pinched his piece too!

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. Bagelicious has the recipe to success with it's good quality bagel options and thirst-quenching drinks. Noting that it was a busy Sunday afternoon when I appeared, Bagelicious staff have done well to accommodate every customer with attentive service and a friendly smile. And they have also done well in keeping the entire outlet neat and tidy. Tables were quickly cleared for customers and magazines neatly organized for the next person to flip through.

Bagelicious on Urbanspoon

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