L.E.S. Bagels

Precious Anne Reyes

3.0

No Lox, No Life! That’s my motto when it comes to bagels. For those of you who don’t know, Lox is salmon that’s brined and served with cream cheese, on a bagel. Sadly they didn’t have any at this branch of LES Bagels in Podium. Really?I was craving it so bad, and with Podium being somewhat close to work than McKinley, I thought I would have it easy. Apparently not. Same thing with the Truffle, which was my second option. So I ended up with Jalapeno Cheddar and my Everything bagel. Don’t get me wrong, it was really good, but you know how things suck when you think you’re there, then face splat? Appetite satisfied, but website me not satisfied.LES Bagels is really the only establishment in town that serves the true New York style bagel. So if you want the taste of something truly New York besides a pizza, it’s bagels from LES, which by the way stands for Lower East Side. The classic would be a bagel with the standard cream cheese. But then the ultimate classic would be the one with Lox. Grrr! I am honestly still pretty peeved about not getting it.The price maybe expensive to some, but if you know what you’re getting, it’s worth it. Service, attentive as always, and very sorry for not having Lox. I wasn’t the only customer at that time that wanted Lox. But still, Lox! Lox! Lox! To the back service peeps, have some delivered.McKinley branch, I will head back to you soon. Lox, I need you!

Amir Fadli

4.0

If you love bagels, L.E.S. is the place to be! I love bagels! I used to get so frustrated at the available selection of bagels since none of them came close to what real bagels are like! I personally think L.E.S. is the best source for bagels in town. Their bagels are reasonably priced too, Php40 for their regular bagels and Php60 for their special ones. Some may think this is too much but honestly, I've had more expensive ones which were not even close to the quality of L.E.S. Bagels!While the bagels are worth paying every peso for, the rest of their menu is quite expensive. They have ready made sandwiches for Php450. I've honestly never tried them since I like my bagels on the simpler side.I've found that ordering a small tub of cream cheese is enough for generous servings of it on 2 bagels. For cream cheese flavors, I like their Sun Dried Tomato & Basil and their Lox. They sound expensive, especially the Lox, but it's got loads of smoked salmon in it which makes it worth it.For 2 people, a small tub of Lox at Php300, and 2 regular bagels at Php40 each, we both get our bagel with lox craving satisfied and for only Php380. In my opinion, that's not bad at all! We had to eat outside cause their airconditioning was warm. The mall was colder! 😂 The servers were nice. Not exactly eager to help but they were pleasant.I hope they also consider using real plates and utensils. They use paper plates and cups and disposable/plastic utensils. This may be easier on their end but what's a little more effort to be more environment friendly?

Migz Cervantes

4.0

I am not really a fan of eating bagels because I did not know how to enjoy it (yes, there is a way of eating bagels!) until I dined at LES Bagels. Contrary to some Filipino perception, bagels are different from donuts. Bagels are from heavy yeasted wheat dough (they are very crisp on the outside), while donuts are dough products (they tend to be light or cake-like and are usually sweet). The way that they are cooked are also different from each other.Located at the second floor of The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, LES Bagels (Lower East Side Bagels) opens as early as 8am--even before the mall has opened (just tell the guard that you will dine at LES Bagels and they will allow you to enter the mall). This is their second branch. LES Bagels offers a variety of bagels, cream cheese, salads, desserts and pastries. Bagels: Garlic; Onion; Black Sesame Seed; Whole Wheat Everything; Whole Wheat; Everything; Chocolate; Sesame Seed; Blueberry; Pumpernickel; Black Russian; Plain. I had some difficulty slicing the bagels so you can have them slice it for you. They can also be served toasted, depending on your preference. Cream Cheese: Plain; Apple Cinnamon; Sundried Tomato & Basil; Scallions; Jalapeno Cheddar; Herb; Sundried Tomato & Olive; Garlic & Chives; Black Pepper Truffle; Strawberry; Blueberry; Lox (Salmon). Foremost, I tried everything and they are all good. Bagels are best eaten with cream cheese and this is the reason I started to love eating bagel. If you opt a sweet, dessert-effect bagel, I recommend the apple cinnamon. If you want it spicy, the jalapeno cheddar is the best choice. If you want to experience having your bagel the traditional way, have the lox. Their bestseller is the black pepper truffle, while my favorite is the blueberry. Salad. I was amazed that these are salad. From a distance, I thought that these were dessert. Love the presentation. Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie and Fudge Brownie. Either of the two are both indulging. They also have chunks of chocolate inside which are really good. These brownies are also heavy that you can have a single order for sharing. Oatmeal Cookie and Homemade Oreo. Both are good and for some reason, it reminds me of childhood. FULL/DETAILED REVIEW ON MY BLOG

Evi

3.0

Bring home a piece of New York with Lower East Side Bagels!Spent a good part of my morning at L.E.S. Bagels one Saturday.We sampled different kinds of bagels and it was amazingggg. Pair them with your choice of cream cheese, and you're all set.  Each bagel costs PHP 40 to PHP 100 depending on the type, but what really stood out for me were the cream cheese flavors! The blueberry turned out to be one of the favorites for the day.  I'm glad they sliced up the bagels into small pieces so we can try everything without getting too full too fast. I honestly wouldn't have been able to pick one just by looking at them because everything looks so good!! Personally, I like my bagel pairing with another item, coffee! L.E.S. Bagels serves coffee from Yardstick Coffee. Hot and cold brews are available, so you can have your coffee anytime of the day without worrying about the heat.

Siok Kam Cheah

3.0

Not much Pinoys go for bagels. But L.E.S. Bagels offers specialty bagels for those willing to try or those people who may have been bagel freaks when they were abroad or merely "feeling" lang (which a lot of people around here are).So L.E.S. Bagels is a good way to start your Bagel 101. Always start with the Plain then work your way to the Sesame (I love the black sesame). If you want some nutty flavor, go for the Whole Wheat or the Pumpernickel.Of course , Cream Cheese is the best ingredient to go with your bagel. Favorites are always the Cheddar & Bacon and the Lox (cured salmon).This Podium branch is quiet and a cozy nook to hang out with friends.

Timotius Delvin

3.0

Being a first-timer, I was so surprised to see a wide selection of cream cheese and bagels to match my preference. What I liked most about L.E.S. Bagels is that it gives the customers the freedom to choose what filling to put in. You can run to bagels for comfort anytime, be it breakfast, lunch, dinner or even dessert!The bagel (Php 40.00/pc) varies from Plain, Sesame, Black Sesame, 100% Whole Wheat, Cinnamon Raisin, Garlic, Pumpernickel to Everything. The specialty bagels (Php 80.00/pc) varies from Chocolate, Bialy to Blueberry. They were chewy, and not too tough. (thumbs up!)Read full review on the blog!

Mickey.

4.0

I’ve always wanted to try L.E.S. Bagels in McKinley Hill; but since it is quite far from my place, I never got the chance to go not until it opened its second branch in The Podium!L.E.S Bagels belongs to the same group as that of Nolita, The Bowery, Borough and the newly opened Lucky Chick, all of which serve some comfort food from NYC, where the owners get their inspiration from. Comparing it to the other restaurants, this one caters more to the early birds especially those who love some coffee and toast to start their day.To be honest, the only bagel that I have tried is Starbuck’s multi-grain bagel, which costs P45 only. I would always pair it with my Venti iced Americano since I find it affordable and something that can fill me up when I am hungry.In L.E.S. Bagels, there are a lot of varieties and some have their distinct flavors, which I never knew existed. I was amazed by what L.E.S. Bagels can offer to its customers. There are chocolate flavored ones, whole-grain for those who wants something healthy, garlic and a lot more flavors for those who want something new and fresh. Being a bagel virgin, who only eats Starbucks’ bagel, I would always spread some honey or jam with it. I never really understand why people like to combine it with cream cheese. I also never went gaga over it unlike some because I feel like there’s really nothing amazing with plain cream cheese since it tastes a bit bland and contains a lot of fattening ingredients that is not worth the calories. But after seeing the wide selection in L.E.S. Bagels, my perspective completely changed.I was hesitant on trying the blueberry because I was a bit scared that I might not like it. But then you’ll never know until you try, right? I gathered up my strength and as I took a bite... holy cow, it was amazing! I never knew that blueberries could be combined with cream cheese. Among the sweet ones, apple cinnamon, strawberry, and blueberry, my favorite would be the latter.Clockwise: Jalapeño Cheddar, Sundried Tomato & Olive oil, Herb Cream Cheese, Scallion Cream Cheese Middle: StrawberryOn this platter, everything tasted mighty fine but only one stood out – Sundried Tomato & Olive oil. Yum!Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie (P180) & Fudge Brownie (P140)After eating all those bagels and cream cheeses, my tummy was full. Although to our surprise, they let us try a few of their pastries. I personally loved the Fudge Brownie, it was soft, rich and moist, all of which is my description of a perfect brownie. The Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie, on the other hand, was one of a kind. A great dessert after a savory meal!Oatmeal Maple Cream Cookie (P85) & Homemade Oreo (P40)And the surprise never stops! I am not really an Oreo baby but this homemade oreos are really something!After this day, all I dream about are bagels, bagels and more bagels!!!Oh and btw, I suggest you try the cream cheese with smoked salmon (if I’m not mistaken, it’s called The Lox). I swear, you won’t regret it!!Thank you, L.E.S. Bagels, for having us!!!

Mine Işık

3.0

I’ve always been curious with Bagels when my friend raves it from her New York experiences. She used to work for a Bagel store. Am not quite sure if they will last. It’s a new market. It’s selling more expensive bread with a variety of cream cheese filled with different ingredients and flavors. They also have sandwiches.

Amir Fadli

4.0

I am not really a fan of eating bagels because I did not know how to enjoy it (yes, there is a way of eating bagels!) until I dined at LES Bagels. Contrary to some Filipino perception, bagels are different from donuts. Bagels are from heavy yeasted wheat dough (they are very crisp on the outside), while donuts are dough products (they tend to be light or cake-like and are usually sweet). The way that they are cooked are also different from each other.