Sonny Bagel Shop at Jam PJ
Bagels are a hit in Malaysia. With a growing list of bagel shops in Klang Valley, we’re seeing more creative variations of the chewy bread pop up, including the latest talk of the town: wood-fired bagels.
Meet Sonny Bagel Shop, the latest bagel house tucked away at JAM PJ, formerly The Gasket Alley. They serve over 20 different toppings for their take on Montreal-style bagels – that is, bagels baked in a wood-fired oven, a rarity in our part of the world.
What is Sonny Bagel Shop?
The retro diner-inspired Sonny Bagel Shop opened recently on 9th June, and they already have the attention of locals. Eager diners show up even before lunch hours for a bite, and chairs are set up outside for patrons when queues start to form.
Their claim to fame: wood-fired bagels.
Typically, this style of bagels starts with hand-rolling, before the dough is poached in sweet honey water and then baked in a wood-fire burning oven.
Unlike wood-fired pizza with leopard-like chars, the result of a wood-fired bagel is a golden crust and external crispness from the light lick of flames, and a distinctive chewiness on the inside that is soft yet still slightly yielding.
As the process is time-consuming, Sonny Bagel Shop bakes only one bagel type from a list of seven in a wood-fired oven each day. There’s also an extra charge of RM3 for the wood-fired bagels, while the regular oven-baked ones are priced at RM9.
The handcrafted bagel types are: Plain, Sesame, Poppy Seed, Everything, Black Olive, Cinnamon Raisin, and Cheddar Jalapeño.
What to order at Sonny Bagel Shop
The bagel toppings at this bagel house are extensive, but neatly sorted into four categories. There are the loaded bagel Sandwiches, the classic cream cheese schmears and creative renditions under Spreads, along with Sweet Bagel variations and the probably New York-approved Pizza Bagels.
These can be enjoyed alongside standout drinks such as Apple Lemonade (RM12) and Banana Bread Matcha (RM17).
Maple Pecan Cream Cheese
The Maple Pecan Cream Cheese (RM13) spread was evenly and thickly applied on the bagel, as one would only want from a bagel schmear. The classic cream cheese gets a subtle nuttiness and crunchy texture from the chunks of pecans in it, which is still satisfyingly visible in the blob of white in the bagel. However, there wasn’t a strong presence of maple syrup in the spread.
Philly Cheesesteak
How you pair your bagel type with a topping matters. If you’re not sure how to go about it, take our advice and pair the Philly Cheesesteak (RM34) with the wood-fired sesame bagel. The sesame-studded dough complemented the meaty filling, texture- and flavour-wise. The sliced beef is juicy without being greasy, and the caramelised onion adds a slight sweetness to the savouriness of melted cheddar and the sesame seeds.
Strawberry Matcha
If you’re a fan of matcha, Strawberry Matcha (RM24) will be your order. While on the pricier side for a spread, the matcha was satisfyingly creamy and slathered generously on the bun. There was just a hint of strawberry jam, which was smeared thinly on the bagel, but it made the overall bagel not too sweet and definitely Asian-approved.
Even if you’re not big on raisins, consider pairing this spread with the cinnamon raisin bagel. The earthy matcha gets a sweet boost from the bites of sizable raisins embedded in the dough.
How to get to Sonny Bagel Shop?
Sonny Bagel Shop is located at JAM PJ, in an extended space that sits behind the main building. Just walk past the row of shops and eateries, down a staircase to your left at the end of the building, and you’ll spot the bagel shop occupying a corner shoplot.
The parking space by the entrance is quite limited, but you can head past the gates and park down the alley to the left. If you’re planning to use public transportation, you can take the T790 bus. It’s about 6 stops away from the nearest LRT station, with a less than 5-minute walk from the bus stop to JAM PJ.
Dine on wood-fired bagels at Sonny Bagel Shop
Sonny Bagel Shop’s charm rests in its extensive bagel topping options – even picky eaters will find something to be satisfied with on the menu. The wood-fired bagels may not be in multitudes as most diners would want and expect, but we can appreciate the slower process of baking them to golden perfection.
Also read: Grumpy Bagels Is Now Open In Sentul With Rustic Farmhouse Charm & Even More Bagel Options
Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia
Photography by Janet, edits by Sarah.