Kleinsky’s Delicatessen: Best bagels in Seapoint

An authentic New York style deli that makes me want to marry into a Jewish family.

I’m a smoked salmon bagel kinda girl.

Smoked Salmon (Smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, capers) on an “everything” bagel

I got the everything bagel which is a plain bagel topped with '“everything bagel sprinkle”. This seasoning is a mix of black and white sesame, poppy seeds and dried garlic and onion. The bagel is a really good combo of soft chewy dense inside. And a chewy outside with little bubbles of crispness on the surface. It’s a chewy crunchiness. It’s also fresh and slightly warm (the last time I had it it was warmer).

The red onion was really nice and finely sliced , when you add lemon it gives them an air of being crunchy pickled red onion slice but only an air because it maintained that sharp oniony taste. I loved the vinegary (and slightly bitter ‘capery’) flavour of the capers. The freshness of the lemon, and capers with the savory freshness of the red onion slices complimented the full fatty satiety-ness of the cream cheese shmeer and the rich salmon.

The salmon was not Norwegian salmon (as you can see from the more red-orange colour of the fish) but rather smoked salmon trout which is fine and is used at most places as is far cheaper. This was good salmon trout because it didn’t feel like it had been standing out at all. Tasted fresh and cool from being refrigerated and minimally handled. Due to the nature of it being salmon it was slightly less rich in omega oils which was fine as the schmeer compensated. As usual the salty fish always goes well with the creamy sweetness of cream cheese and saltiness of capers, freshness of the onion and zing of lemon.

Presentation wise - It’s just placed on a side plate - it’s way more aesthetically pleasing to get it as a takeaway because they wrap it in delightfully crisp, crackly deli papers and you can feel the warmth of the bagel when you’re walking to your car/ destination that you’re eating it and they place the lemon conveniently in the center of the bagel. 

Pecan cream bulka

I am a bit blurry on what the actual difference is. So from what I understand, it is a different shape, it is South African and sometimes challah dough is used. These seem to be a cross over between bulkas/boolkas etc and cinnamon rolls, which bulkas basically are I feel.

There were three different varieties of bulkas available, one without any icing, one with white frosting, and a pecan nut one which had a caramel/butterscotch frosting which we tried. I’ll have to get back to you on the exact flavours - but I’m sure you’ll want to go and try them and find out for yourself!

So good. Really cinnamony 

Basically a spiral of sweet, fluffy, yeasty and cinnamon dough. It wasn’t dry at all or too soft or gooey- just the right amount of silkiness in the dough. Also not too sweet which is a winner because its important to be healthy guys, so eat these to stay fit and happy. Next time I would get the plain one purely because I wasn’t a fan of the frosting on this one. It was smooth and sweet and added a more “American cinnamon roll” flavor to it, but I feel like it wasn’t a good American flavour, in fact it tasted like an artificial caramel or butterscotch essence (similar to the flavor of the buttermilk Wilson toffees) Apart from the frosting which is a pretty personal thing in terms of likes, it was so good. Also there weren’t a ton of pecans so no point in ordering the pecan one really unless you like a caramel essence flavor (which many do). I prefer a more natural flavor which the actual bun had. I think the plain bulka with its sweet cinnamon filling and perfectly pliable and fluffy dough is the best. Most certainly, get it. They warm it which adds to the whole cinnamon warmth feeling and fresh bakery vibe. 

Freshly squeezed (onsite) orange juice

I love the orange juice here because it is freshly squeezed instead of pressed. So it’s like that traditional freshly squeezed orange juice with the little orange pulp in it but also the orange juice as if you squeezed it yourself instead of it going through a juice press which pulps it first and extracts the juice that way which usually makes a creamier (weird I know but still) in a way orange juice rather than a more acidic and fresh orange juice which you get if it’s pressed. Served with ice. But not too much ice to make it watery. Served with a compostable plastic straw. 

Kleinsky’s is always a goodie and nothing beats a walk on the Seapoint promenade followed by a bagel and coffee/OJ.

My order: Smoked Salmon Bagel R60 ; Orange Juice R38 ; Pecan cream bulka RTBC

92 Regent Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town, 8060 https://www.kleinskys.co.za/