"The Russ & Daughters bagel experience should not take place without smoked fish. We repeat: You must order a bagel with some sort of fish topping, or at least a side of their excellent hot-smoke-cold-smoke salmon combination dip to dunk your bagel into. The near-translucent nova at this Lower East Side appetizing institution is sliced so fine that a puppet master could use it as a backdrop for casting shadows. Russ & Daughters staff expertly layer the soft, pliable fish drapery onto sturdy bagels. These chewy bagels, which are comparatively small, act as the ideal mattress for all of the toppings." - carina finn koeppicus, kenny yang