My daughters wanted to get ready in a leisurely fashion for Day 2 of Osheaga, where they wanted to ensure they looked perfect for seeing Tate McRae later in the day. What's a semi-bored dad to do while on vacation and staying in a hotel in the relative middle of nowhere?
I decided to take a bus over to Oze Bagel, as it was the nearest bagel place to our hotel and Google had indicated that it would be open.
Only I happened to arrive at 12:45 pm on a Saturday, only to find a sign that said "Closed, will re-open at 1:30."
I made the most of my time on the Boulevard Tascherau and ultimately ended up getting a haircut at the salon next door. By the time my hair was fully coiffed, Oze Bagel had re-opened. I was the first person in line, and by the time I could purchase the bagels 5 minutes later, a line of at least 15 people snaked behind me.
The bakery itself was a treat - the bakery is fully exposed, and feels like the kind of bagel bakery my grandparents would have enjoyed in their youth - you can see the the pot of boiling water in which the bagels are boiled. and the cavernous wood fired oven in which they are baked.
I purchased a dozen sesame bagels, largely because they were the only bagels available. And these were the hottest bagels I've ever held.
I wouldn't cross the river solely for the experience of procuring bagels from here, especially since there are lots of other great bagels in the city. But this was a fun surprise on an otherwise mundane morning. read more