Big on Bagels? Cascade Bagel & Deli Delivers

Cascade Bagel & Deli is one of those places you hope survives a tough small business economy. It’s locally owned, ran by a couple nice people and provides an assortment of bagels, bagel sandwiches and even personal pizzas on Friday.

I walked in Friday afternoon and met Betty Murrie and Bob Bringer, the owners of . The business just turned 8 years old on Nov. 1. The establishment nearly shut down but Murrie and Bringer bought the business from Seattle Bagel.

"We couldn't see throwing people out in the street," Bringer said, who lives in the Oakbrook neighborhood.

If you're like me and enjoy a good bagel with cream cheese, this is the place to visit. It's located next to the old QFC in Lakewood that closed down in the Lakewood Colonial Center.

Bringer is the lead baker. The business makes their bagels from scratch in a room next door. They are boiled for less than a minute and then placed on a metal sheet to bake for about 12 minutes.

There are no frozen products and no mass-produced bagels. I'm talking about high protein, high gluten flour bagels handmade with a baker's touch.

The end result is a shiny, crusty bagel on the outside with a soft inside. There are more than 20 different bagels to choose from.

I ordered the Northwest Smoked Salmon with cream cheese, tomato, red onion and capers on a jalapeno bagel for $5.45. The salmon had a fresh, smoky flavor and the bread and cream cheese were light.

The bagel sandwich was a little small. I could've ordered a larger size (open face $8.60) but I was content with my lunch meal holding me over until dinnertime.

The interior is comfortable. There's plenty of space and even a small area for little kids to play. The customer service was good. Cascade Bagel & Deli is a small business that doesn't try and do too much.

For a quick snack, I'd recommend a bagel with cream cheese ($1.40). Take it up a notch and add toppings like butter, jam or cheese.

There isn't a better place in Lakewood to get a bagel than Cascade Bagel & Deli. And you're not going to find a place that does it this good from scratch.

Who: Cascade Bagel & Deli

Where: 6115 Motor Ave. SW

Contact: 253-984-6809 or www.cascadebagel.com

Hours: Monday through Friday 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.