Anyone who would kill for a paperbag full of warm bagels, haphazardly smeared with cream cheese, is ... well, living in the wrong city.
“We promote ouselves as specializing in bagels, but many people don’t know what that is,” explains Edouardo Bernal, one of three owners of Blender, and the man in charge of the kitchen. “There’s a poster outside saying ‘the Best Bagels in Guadalajara,’ and people still come in to ask how much our hamburgers cost.”
For the uninitiated, bagels are first boiled in water, then baked, creating a dense, chewy interior. They’ve become popular in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, especially in cities with large Jewish populations. The roll-with-a-hole design is hundreds of years old, and bagels were a staple of the Polish national diet in the 16th and early 17th centuries. Many observant Jewish families made bagels on Saturday evenings – quick to bake, the rolls could be easily prepared after the Sabbath, during which cooking was not permitted.
None of that quite explains how Bernal and his two partners, “100-percent Mexican,” fell in love with the quirky (for Latin America) bread product.
“Someone passed me the tip about bagels, and I liked the idea of the different consistency, the preparation, how healthy they are,” says Bernal. “I had never been to the United States or Canada or Europe to try one, but I figured as long as our bagels are still good, they’re valid.”
Bernal, in charge of the Blender kitchen and its recipes, is the first to admit that the café sells a “Mexicanized” bagel. Blender bakes its own plain, sesame seed and Parmesan bagels, with a flawlessly toasted crust and slightly less dense, less tangy interior than your average New York bagel. Then again, since said New York bagels are only available here frozen at WalMart or Sam’s or frozen, reheated and tasteless from Starbucks, Blender’s take is still guaranteed to delight diners.
Blender’s bagels, like their baguettes and salads, are loaded with clever combos of fresh deli meats, smoked salmon, cheeses and vegetables, including a crispy thin slice of apple – a surprisingly delicious touch.
“People complain about the apple,” says Bernal. “I tell them, ‘just give it a try, and if you don’t like it take it off.’ Most end up loving it.”
Bernal is committed to keeping the café’s kitchen fresh and original – Blender also blends its own 20-ingredient fresh Caesar-style dressing, a highlight of the meal.
It’s not always easy selling bagels in Guadalajara – in fact, Bernal is convinced past bagel joints didn’t make it because the time was not yet ripe.
“It’s difficult for people to embrace the idea, especially with the difficult pronunciation,” says Bernal. “Once they see bagels prepared and try a few bites, they get more enthusiastic. We’ve done very well, had a positive response and people keep coming back.”
Blender is full of surprises – a Thursday night stand-up comedy night is becoming increasingly popular, and free wi-fi Internet makes the well-decorated café a good place to work. On request, the kitchen serves pizza, which is not actually on the menu. The desserts, also house recipes, are scrumptious, and include a tangy cheesecake with flawless graham crust and consistency. The music is not too loud, exploring everything from classical to Pink Floyd and modern instrumentals. There’s beer, wine, and a refreshing fresh lemonade frappe to battle the heat. The service is friendly, the ambiance is great – and, of course, there are bagels.
Blender is on Av. La Paz 2183-B, between Chapultepec and Union in Colonia Lafayette, and opens Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to midnight. They deliver in the Chapultepec area. For reservations or more information, call 4040-7470 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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