Snapshot: A little bit of Country in Boro Park

By David J. Glenn 

As soon as you open the glass door to Country Bagels and Bakery at 4023 13th Ave., you're enveloped in the aroma of freshly made baked goods.

It shouldn't be surprising, since "we make everything right here," said Yochanon Klitnick, who held his grand opening of the store 2 month ago.

Klitnick has operated Fallsburg Bagels and Bakery in the Catskills for the past two decades. Still, that store is open only during the summer for all the campers and bungalow colonists flocking to the mountains.

He wanted to open a kosher bakery that could flourish all year 'round — and what better location than Boro Park?

"We have a good variety of baked goods — besides all types of bagels, we've got hemishe challah, cookies, cakes, Danishes, and our special Russian babka," said Yehuda, Klitnick's son, the manager of the Boro Park store. 

"I don't think you could find this Russian babka anywhere else in Boro Park," added Yochanon.

A visitor who tasted it concurred that it had a unique quality he hadn't experienced elsewhere — very chocolate-y with a smooth texture.

The bake shop's busiest times are late afternoons "when the kids are coming back from school," Yehuda said. They opt mainly for the cookies and the regulach, he said.

If you've ever fancied getting breakfast at a bakery, Country Bagels is there for you, starting at 7:15. You could even get eggs with your coffee and Danish, Yehuda said.

And, if you're one of those who like breakfast later in the day, you can get it at Country Bagels up to 4 p.m.

To reach an even broader customer base, father and son are arranging to accept SNAP (food stamps) in the near future.

"I've always loved cooking, " Yochanon said, "--- especially baking."