Thumbs down, I always imagined.
No, I don't mean Kim's (more about which later) or bialys per se; I'm referring to how the baker creates the bialy's distinctive depression. A cursory look at the classic version from Kossar's suggested that the center was pressed flat with thumbtips, or fingertips, then filled with a little garlic (and poppy seeds, in the case of Kossar's). But halfway through Kim's bialy (95 cents), whose central membrane is thin enough to admit sunlight, I saw that some garlic was tucked under the rim (see photo below). It's as if a wide circle of dough was dotted with garlic, then rolled in from the edges.
I'll ask next time I'm in town, and I'll check on Kim's current holiday decorations, too. In December, bagels and at least one challah twist (though no bialys that I noticed) were lacquered and hung with care on, of all things, a Christmas tree.
Kim's Bagel Cafe
37 East Main St., Mount Kisco, New York
914-666-2335
