I have a number of Canadian friends here in Mexico, including a few from Montreal. There are often friendly arguments about which city makes better bagels: New York or Montreal. I’ve never had a Montreal bagel, so I have no opinion, except that, IMO Eastern European/Jewish foods in NYC are better than anyplace else. Also, Montreal bagels are sweeter and I don’t need sweetness in my bagel. The issue has been addressed before .
I don’t even like cinnamon raisin for that reason. Now Richard Armitage can weigh in. He’s in Montreal now and lived in New York for a few years. I’m sure he’s had a bagel or two with a schmear.
Tell us, Richard Armitage, which bagel sends electricity surging through your body, causes your heart to pound out of your chest and makes your breath come fast and hard?
Armitage Agonistes 
I thought: smoked meat? I need to get my Mordechai Richler on for this post.
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Smoked meat what? NY is not known for smoked meat, if that’s what you mean. Pastrami is cured with a rub then cooked, and I think Corned beef is boiled.
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What SueBC said. Canadians talk about it all the time. I think it’s the Montreal equivalent / competitor to pastrami.
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I’ll ask my friends about it.
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But better! It’s a bit milder than pastrami and more tender I guess. Thinly sliced and piled high on a bagel is delicious!
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Montreal smoked meat with mustard on a bagel with a sour dill pickle on the side. Yum.
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Very yum. Montreal smoked meat versus pastrami, another competition! We both know which one is the best.
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Ah. I get it. That combo is not usual for New York, although my father liked to put a big hunk of kosher salami on a bagel with mustard and munch it while watching football.
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NY Times has also written about the bagel wars (https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/montreals-bagels-square-off-against-new-yorks/). Montreal has two rivalling bagel bakeries, St. Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel, and are located near each other. Both bakeries’ original location is open 24 x 7, and continuously make bagels throughout the day. So, as soon as you enter the bakery, you smell the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bagels and you would have already devoured a bagel even before leaving the premises. Montreal expats would buy two or three dozens to bring back to Toronto, and freeze them. I microwave the bagel for 20 seconds, slice it in half, and then toast it; the bagel is crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside. I like my bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon/lox, capers and microgreens. Toronto now has three bagel bakeries that make acceptable Montreal style bagels, all lacking the wonderful aroma.
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