Charlie's City Bagels

Name: Charlie's City Bagels
Location: 135 Washington Ave., Endicott, NY 13760
Phone: (607) 748-8888
Cuisine: Bagels/Coffee/Diner
Price: Inexpensive. $5 or so per person.

Review:
A fan of the blog recommended that we make a trip out to Charlie's Bagels on Washington Avenue in Endicott, so on the way to work last week, I decided to pay them a visit. As someone with a fondness for small bagel/coffee shops in general, I have a few small demands of places of this ilk. The bagels should be fresh and have a dense, doughy interior, and the coffee should be strong enough to jolt me awake. As a guy who drinks 4-6 cups of coffee per day, I have grown to be somewhat picky in this regard. In this area, I have found Best Bagels In Town, ironically enough, to be the best bagel option, with Java Joe's and The Bagel Factory riding a close second, with Java Joe's excellent coffee garnering bonus points. But I am always interested in trying new places like this.


Charlie's is around the corner from Union-Endicott High School and has street parking available in front and a large lot around back. From the street it looks like a very small shop, so I was surprised to find out that it's really more of a diner. It's a long, narrow restaurant with about a dozen or so large booths lining both sides of the space with the counter at the very back. Photographs and memorabilia line the walls to give Charlie's a distinctly old-fashioned feel.

I quickly scanned the list of about a dozen bagel flavors before deciding on my default, an Everything bagel, toasted, with regular cream cheese. I also went with a cup of regular coffee. It should be noted that Charlie's also offers some usual diner fare (eggs/bacon/etc.) on their menu: it is not strictly a bagel shop.


I'd have to say the bagel I had was quite good. A slightly sweet, malty, crunchy exterior gave way to a soft interior. It was a little saltier than other "everything" bagels I've had in the area, which I do not consider a bad thing...it gave the bagel a more pronounced flavor. Overall, I think I still prefer Best Bagels, but Charlie's is a contender.

The coffee was another story. Weak and watery, and there's no way that it was "regular" coffee either, with a faint taste of hazelnut seeping through. Do keep in mind, though, that I am overly picky about my coffee. But even by usual diner standards, Charlie's comes in below average in the coffee department.

In the end, I'm glad I made the trip out to Endicott to try out Charlie's City Bagels. It's a nice space, service was quick and efficient, and the bagel I had was one of the best I've had in the area. I can't say this is a place I'll make a regular destination, nor is there anything particularly amazing or memorable about it, but if you are looking for a solid bagel shop in the western part of the Tri-Cities area, Charlie's is one of your best bets.

Grade: B-

Java Joe's

Name: Java Joe's
Location: 81 State St., Binghamton, NY 13901
Phone: (607) 774-0966
Cuisine: Coffee/Bagels/Sandwiches
Price: Around $5-$10 per person

Review:
I'm always looking for good places for bagels and coffee, and even though I've found a few good places lately (Best Bagels In Town, Nezuntoz, Bagel Factory), I decided to give Java Joe's a shot. It's somewhat surprising that I'd never been to Java Joe's before today. I've passed by the place on dozens of inebriated evenings downtown and I never really thought much of it.

Upon entering Java Joe's, I was stunned by how nice it was. It's got a really nice bohemian vibe with wood-paneled flooring and brick walls. I felt as if I had just stepped onto the set of "Rent," and I mean that in the best way possible. It's a long, narrow space, much larger than it appears from the outside. The back of the coffeehouse borders on the courtyard area between Washington St. and State St. where Uncle Tony's and Dillinger's have their outdoor seating. Atmospherically, this is the nicest coffee shop in Binghamton. I regret not taking a picture so you could see it for yourself.

I ordered a bagel with cream cheese and got a cup of coffee. Coffee comes with one free refill so I decided I was going to get my money's worth. I started with a cup of the Ethiopian Longberry Harrar and refilled with the "Parlor City Blend." All of Java Joe's coffee is roasted by the owners themselves.


The bagel did not excite me too much. It was pretty good but nowhere near the quality of the bagel I had a few weeks back at Best Bagels In Town. I got it toasted (or rather, it came toasted by default) and thought it was well-prepared, and the service was quick.

Coffee was the real reason for my stop at Java Joe's, so I am glad to report that it was very good. My criteria for a good cup of coffee is simple. I drink my coffee black (usually), so the coffee must have good flavor and not be too bitter, but should also not be too watery--I like my coffee STRONG. Also, it should get me wired. Java Joe's Ethiopian Harrar was excellent. Very bold, somewhat tangy flavor and strong enough to give a seasoned coffee drinker like myself the shakes. I would drink this again in a heartbeat. As for the Parlor City Blend, I don't know what varieties comprise this blend, but it was medium-bodied and pretty good. The first cup was by far the superior of the two, but that could be just a matter of my personal preference...I can see why others may prefer the second.

All told, I regret not paying a visit to Java Joe's sooner. This is a place I'll definitely be taking Megan to at some point in the near future. I am very interested in trying their sandwiches and paninis. I'd like to see how they compare with Nezuntoz and Escape State Street. How funny would it be if the paninis were better than those at Escape State Street? Then there would be no need to escape State St... But seriously, this is a great little place to hang out; if you're a Binghamton University student, this would be an excellent spot to get a cup of coffee, to chill out with friends, to meet if you're planning a group project, or to get some reading done.

Grade: B+

Best Bagels In Town

Name: Best Bagels In Town
Location: 526 Hooper Rd., Endicott, NY 13760
Phone: (607) 748-1171
Cuisine: Coffee/Bagels/Sandwiches
Price: Around $5 per person

Review:
To me, a name is a very important thing. If you're going to name your sandwich shop the Full Belly Deli, you'd better offer huge sandwiches overflowing with meat and toppings. If you're Dillinger's Celtic Pub, you should probably have bartenders who can pour a perfect Guinness from the tap (Oh, wait, they don't even have taps? Grade: F). If you're going to name your place Escape State Street, you should expect ridicule for having such a ridiculous name which doesn't even identify your establishment as a restaurant. And if you name your kids Dweezil, Diva Muffin, and Moon Unit, you're probably Frank Zappa.

So that brings me to Best Bagels In Town. If you want that name, you'd better have the goods to back it up. I decided to give it a shot.

There are actually two (and from what I understand, soon to be three) locations of Best Bagels In Town, one on Hooper Road in Endwell, one on Route 12 on the way out of Binghamton up past Northgate Plaza, and a third one that may be open on the Vestal Parkway by the end of 2010 near Vestal High School in the former Burger King location. None of these locations are ones that I personally pass by on a regular basis, but all of them are in highly-visible, well-traversed areas. A Google search reveals at least a few other bagel shops throughout the US with the same name and a similar logo. So this could be a proper chain restaurant. If so, it's definitely a small one. Upon visiting it certainly had the feel of a small, local store.

I decided to hit up the Endwell location and arrived around 9:00 AM on a Tuesday on my way to work. In lieu of using the drive-thru, I opted to go inside and check out the place. It's a small shop with a few tables for those who choose to eat there, but it seemed like most people get their orders to-go, as I did. The place was pretty busy when I was there and I had to wait in a short line before placing my order. A glance over the menu allowed me to notice that they offered several kinds of bagels and 8 to 10 different varieties of cream cheese (regular, spinach bacon, garlic herb, and strawberry to name a few). They also had some various breakfast sandwiches, muffins, deli sandwiches, and coffee drinks. I found the menu to be similar to Dunkin Donuts, minus the donuts, with an obvious emphasis on bagels.

I ordered a large black coffee ($1.60) and an everything bagel with garlic-herb cream cheese (approximately $2.50). $4 or so later I was out the door, back in the car where I deftly traversed the tiny parking lot, and on my way to work.

The coffee was pretty good. It had nice flavor but was a little watered down, as is usually the case for coffee in this area. It wasn't amazing but it was sufficient and above-average as local coffee peddlers go. Then it would come time for the taste test. Would this bagel stand apart from the crowd enough to be considered the best in town? The suspense was killing me.

And the answer is.....drum roll please.....

Yes! This was the best bagel I've had in the area! This tasted absolutely great and the garlic-herb cream cheese was phenomenal. Nice and crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, great onion/garlic/poppy seed flavor, an all-around perfect bagel. I appreciated that they didn't skimp on the cream cheese, too. For $2.50 this was a little pricey as bagels go, but totally worth it.

Some places earn their name, and Best Bagels In Town is one of them. I'll be back there again tomorrow.

Grade: A-