Po' Boy Bagel Sandwich at Bageltopia in Berkeley
Bageltopia head chef Dan Graf stylized our Big Easy inspired Po' Boy Bagel Sandwiches off of his own flavor experiences down on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. We hope you are able to bite into our Po' Boys and feel that Cajun “Feu-follet” spirit all the way here in Berkeley California. While Berkeley California's Mardi Gras celebrations may be limited in their scope, did you know that we have a Mardi Gras parade every year? Usually starting close to us here in San Pablo park, the parade route features marching bands, second lines and of course, lots of beads and pearls, colorful outfits and costumes. We love to feel the pre-lent spirit and let our unique community soar with these family oriented celebrations. What better way to share joy than with delicious food that evokes the tastes of a very unique part of American Culture. While we may not have the biggest mardi-gras in February, we can celebrate Fat Tuesday all year round as these sandwiches are offered year round as a permanent menu offering.
A Hearty Lunch Menu Staple
These Po' Boys represent the part of the Bageltopia menu that might be considered firmly in the “lunch” camp, but we will let you decide for yourself. And yes, you can order these sandwiches right when we open, so if you need a Po' Boy at 7:30 AM we have you covered, and it will keep you full all day, we guarantee! Truly, the Fried Chicken Po' Boy is a delight and on top of that is a truly a massive sandwich. Grab one and cut it in half and we promise there will still be enough to fully satiate two people and possibly a young one.
Reinventing the Po' Boy Roll with Bagels
The Po' Boy is New Orleans' working man's sandwich. Almost more about the bread than the ingredients you may find inside the soft roll, we questioned whether we needed to replicate the kind of dough that might rise in 110% humidity. That kind of swampy ambient weather simply does not exist on the corner of University and Acton. What were we supposed to do with our bagels and dough to make them perfect for the truly southern treat of the Po' Boy. Our solution was found more “in house”; our sesame bagel is chewy and airy. The Cajun remoulade softens and flavors the bread, and the fresh bagel squishes up all the flavor combinations into delicious bites.
Choosing the Perfect Protein
After extensive experimentation with different combinations of both meats as well as vegan alternatives, Dan landed on what he believes to be the perfect matching of the Po' Boy's (usually served on a French Bread Roll served lengthwise) aesthetics with a flavor pairing that brings out the chewy expressiveness of the bagel upon which the Po' Boy is served. Instead of the more traditional Protein options of Shrimp, Oysters, Roast Beef or Ham, Dan landed on the Fried Chicken Cutlet as the most effective meat offering for the Bagel Po' Boy. As with all sandwiches at Bageltopia, we always aim to have a vegan offering to compliment our mainstay menu options. In that spirit, for our Vegans Dan decided the crispy texture of the Oyster Mushroom creates a crunchy sensation similar to one you might find noshing on a Po' Boy on Bourbon Street on a humid August day, plus it has Oyster in the name, so that is kinda close isn't it?
The Fried Chicken Po' Boy, Dressed to Perfection
The Fried Chicken Po-Boy is as much a Fried Chicken Sandwich as it is a Bagel Sandwich. First we must ask, do pickles belong on a fried chicken sandwich? We are firmly in the Chik-Fil-A modeled, pro pickle stance of YES THEY DO. We would consider our Dredge to be a “KFC Knock off Dredge” and yes there are 12 spices featured, upping the Colonel by one spice. Yes our spice blend is also a secret. But we can tell you there is salt and pepper, coriander, a bit of onion powder to start, followed by our multilayered dredge. All cutlets are fried to order and made fresh so you know you are getting the absolute freshest piece of meat you can on your Po' Boy. This juicy piece of chicken is about 6-8 inches long, protruding from the center of the bagel like a giant protein beacon of flavor. We do not over sauce, but we do have a Cajun remoulade that really takes the trophy as it truly wins the spice game. Oh but it's not too spicy... just right!
What Does It Mean to Get It "Dressed"?
In fact, did you know that there is a certain term for when you add veggies and sauces to your Po' Boy? In New Orleans, when you add shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mayonnaise on a Po' Boy, they call it “Dressed”. Well you can bet that we “Dress” our Po' Boys. The Chicken Patty is a hammered out piece of Chicken Thigh, seasoned, battered and fried to perfection before being served directly onto a bagel of your choosing. As mentioned previously, Dan will recommend a sesame bagel as the best medium for the Chicken sandwich. Why you may ask? The sesame bagel is often the softest of our bagels, with a slightly chewier consistency that absorbs the mayonnaise and flavor from the juicy chicken patty. If you are not into sesame bagels, you can use any of other bagel flavors. Many of our customers have ordered this exact sandwich on everything bagels as well as salt and plain! But we will say, adding the subtle flavor of toasted sesame seeds into the mix gives a mild tahini pop to the Fried Chicken Po' Boy. Did we mention it is also massive? Unlike some of our other bagel sandwiches like the Super Nova, it is served Closed Face as a complete Sando. Come give it a try, or go ahead and order online and it can be delivered right to your doorstep.
The Vegan Oyster Mushroom Po' Boy
There have been many different Vegan attempts at the Po' Boy from various luminaries of the Louisiana cooking scene. Some notable vegan alternatives for the meat protein you may find in a Po' Boy includes Friend Heart of Palm, Trumpet Mushrooms and Fried Tofu (to name a few). But why the Oyster Mushroom? Our Founder Dan Graf says “I love the taste of the fried oyster mushroom and I believe it brings the best flavor to the Vegan Po' Boy. After many rigorous tests using tofu and other veggie options, it was clear the oyster mushroom is the best option for the vegan version of this sandwich”. First we dredge the oyster mushrooms in a mixture of flaxseed and oat milk. Then one more dredge in seasoned flour flavored with our proprietary cajun spice blend as well as salt and pepper. We then lightly fry the oyster mushrooms to give them a buttery melt in your mouth texture. We use delicious Veganaise to make a remoulade base on the bagel before adding the aforementioned “Dressing” to make a Po' Boy that is crisp, juicy and delicious. Paired with our already vegan bagel offerings, our vegan community can rest assured that we “got their backs” on providing the best (and most authentic) culinary experience possible, with little compromise on quality. It truly is just as good as the chicken Po' Boy, with similar flavor pallets but, as you know, completely animal ingredient free and vegan! Come on in and try it for yourself, we believe you will be pleased with the authentic quality, dressing, and overall approach to this daily Nawlins staple.
Tell Us What You Think
Let us know how you feel about our specials and they may become permanent! We are always open to suggestions of how we can improve and we want feedback on our menu options you love, as well as the menu options you do not. Some of our most popular bagel sandwich offerings have begun as specials, so be vocal and let us know what you love about Bageltopia. Reviews and feedback can be given on Google, Instagram, yelp and on our website through our “contact us” form.
Visit Us & Follow Along
Order online at www.bageltopia.com or in person at our shop at 1401 University Ave (adjacent Fellini Coffeebar), open Tuesday through Sunday from 7:30a to 2p.
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