The Bagel Project: We get a taste for Nottingham’s newest lunch option

Nottingham isn’t short of a few places to get your hands on a decent lunch but, to be fair, there are only so many jacket spuds you can take before it all gets a bit same old, same old. So there was excitement as The Bagel Project on Carlton Street opened earlier this year as the city appears to have a severe lack of decent bagel options.

The new business took over the site of The Bakehouse which closed both of their properties including the sister location in Sherwood the same year. Nestled amid many restaurants, cafes and pizzerias, Hockley is a prime lunchtime location for any food business and Bagel Project is in great company as Pizza Pilgrims and Pho have also opened on the street.

That said, is it any good? can bagels really replace our humble lunchtime spud van treats? There was only one way to find out....

One of the many joys of the early shift...in fact, it’s the only joy of an early newsroom start is that your lunch hour happens earlier so you miss the rush. Bagel Project was lovely and quiet when we popped in at 11 am absolutely famished.

The ‘house bagel’ options are plentiful with something for everyone including the loaded pulled pork which boasts apple and carrot slaw, homemade BBQ sauce, pickled red onions, slow-cooked BBQ pork and applewood smoked cheese. For the veggies among us, there is beetroot hummus and avocado topped with cucumber slices, sliced tomato and sunflower seeds.

However, I’m that person who likes to bring a really smelly food item into an office or workspace. If it has a pungent blue cheese or a stinky onion in it then I am all over it. I once opened a packet of kimchi in an enclosed canteen with no windows. Although, in my defence, I didn’t know how strongly that smelled at the time.

This was why I opted for the smoked salmon bagel with lashings of truffle cream cheese on it and yes, this even had onions on it along with capers, slice cucumber and dill. Given how much I love dill, truffles and smoked salmon - this was my idea of heaven. Although I wasn’t sure how my colleagues in the newsroom would be able to cope with me.

Smuggling my bagel back to the office and unwrapping it, I was pleased to see the sandwich was loaded with fillings. I have little patience for understuffed sandwiches. I have to say, not bad for £7.00 on a treat day.

The slightly salty and vaguely smoky flavour of the smoked salmon was perfectly matched with the earthy taste of the truffle cream cheese. The red onions add a much-needed spicy kick. I don’t normally think to add capers to anything I make but it was a noticeable lemon-ish taste which is why they are so often paired with fish or seafood dishes.

Also, dill is my favourite herb so that was a welcome addition to the mix. All in all, I absolutely inhaled the bagel wishing I had thought to buy a second based on the flavour alone. One was more than enough but the taste was enough to make me regret my single purchase.

To be fair, the prices mean this isn’t an everyday option but as a once-off treat, it’s not bad and something I will definitely be ordering again. Although, can confirm the newsroom would maybe prefer less onions next time.