Kensington Kosher

The Kensington Market and Spadina area used to be a Jewish enclave. These immigrants have assimilated and spread out to other parts of the city, leaving it to the next generation of immigrants mainly Chinese and Latinos. There are a few reminders including a still active synagogue. As for eateries, deli Free Times Cafe still sits on the edge of this zone.

As such, Nu Bugel's tagline is "The bagel has returned to the Market", although I suspect none of the proprietors are actually Jewish. With a large wood-burning oven, they make Montreal-style bagels. But you won't get them steaming hot from the oven. Though there was a constant stream of customers coming in, Nu Bugel, having just opened about 2 weeks ago, is not busy enough yet to keep the oven burning all the time.

However, the bagels hanging off wooden dowels were quite tasty. I got a few to go and a roasted chicken, baby spinach, and red onion marmalade ($6) for lunch. They had a nice bite, chewy yet crisp, with that distinctive sweetness of Montreal bagels. However, I would stick to more traditional toppings such as cream cheese or even the humble butter. The strong marmalade tended to overwhelm the bagel. For those who want good, fresh bagels without heading up-town or fighting the crush at St. Lawrence Market, Nu Bugel is a great addition. The wooden benches, old-timey decorations (typewriters, metal tools) harken back to a bygone era. So the modern all glass front space, where the firewood was stored, and separating a passerby from the main entrance, was jarringly off-putting.