Tomorrow morning, a new local bagel operation enters the fray: Black Heart Bagels has been distributing to a few coffeeshops and the Buckman Farmers Market for a while now, and tomorrow they're opening a brick and mortar on Sandy. I had one of their bagels a few weeks ago at the tiny Aliviar Coffeehouse next to the Hollywood (please don't go there, you'll ruin it). It was good! I have no comments as to "chew" or "crumb."

Blackheart has a lengthy list of bagel flavors that includes lesser-seen varieties like black sesame and za'atar. Here's what they have to say for themselves:

Obsessively perfected in the rainy Northwest, these bagels are hand rolled then classically boiled and baked. We use minimal yeast and rely on long, cold rises to develop an authentic flavor. This artisanal process takes 24 hours from start to finish.

So this brings the list of Kettleman-replacements up to Black Heart, Henry Higgins, Bowery Bagels, Kenny & Zukes, Spielman's (my current favorite, their lox plate kills)... I don't think we have a good-bagel shortage anymore, guys.