Bites Nearby: Merrick Bagel Café

Going out for a meal does not always have to involve massive steaks and heaping piles of potatoes to match the huge bill that patrons receive at the end of the dining experience.

For a delightfully delicious meal that does not require you to destroy the contents of your wallet and walk out of the establishment feeling as heavy as the cattle you just ate, visit the Merrick Bagel Café, one of the franchises of the Long Island Bagel Café.

Breakfast time brings around the traditional bagel favorites such as plain, egg, onion and garlic bagels with cream cheese, butter, lox and scallion spreads. Adventurous taste buds have their place in the sun though here too, as the Bagel Café also offers sundried tomato jalapeno, artichoke, pumpkin, roasted garlic and herb spreads.

The lunch menu is enormous. Select a Big Bird sandwich, which is made up of a chicken cutlet with melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato and Russian dressing or try a Brooklyn Bomb, a hearty sandwich with pepper turkey, ham cappy, roasted peppers, provolone, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, and fresh mozzarella topped off with spicy mustard.

Health conscious guests will love their “Heart Smart” salads including low-fat classic tuna, honey mustard tuna, tuna fresco, chicken bruschetta and grilled chicken slaw.

Traditional salads are available as well, and you can choose your own salad combination from an array of options. Carrots, feta cheese, sunflower seeds, olives, beets and mushrooms are just a few of the toppings guests add to their delicious, personalized salads.

Wraps and paninis a-plenty top off the lunch menu with fresh favorites such as a chicken parmigiana panini with fresh basil, or the spicy Santa Fe wrap complete with pepper turkey, roast peppers, grilled onions and spicy jalapeno mayo. The Bagel Café invites you to pick the ingredients for a customized wrap as well.

Catering services are available from the Bagel Café to suit all types of party needs. Select a wrap platter complete with three side salads, an assortment of giant, overstuffed bagels, a plate of bagel chips and either white fish or spinach/onion dip or an executive breakfast array complete with bagels, muffins and fruits.

At summertime feasts, select one of their barbecue packages which include a variety of favorites depending upon which package you choose. Examples of items included in the packages are sweet Italian sausages, barbecue ribs, string bean potato salad and lemon and herb chicken.