Our Artisanal Montreal Bagels are Famous, Says Gigantic Faceless Coffee Chain

It seems premature to call your bagels famous before anyone has had a chance to taste them. Especially in Montreal.

Regardless, this is the proclamation of a new Downtown bakery, sandwich shop and caterer at 1000 de la Gauchetière between Mansfield and de la Cathédrale.

La Fabrique de Bagel "offers different varieties of bagels, sweet or savoury." The "famous" boast appears on the shop's menu.

A Facebook entry describes the bagels as "unique and distinguished" and made by "artisans who work the dough and cook the bagels in front of you, in accordance with the purest traditions."

The homespun sales job is hard to square with the fact that La Fabrique de Bagel is another concept from Les Cafés V.P., the franchisor behind Presse Café, Café Vienne, Green Catering & Café, Ros&lina, Premium and Cupps Coffee House.

The company rakes in over $60 million in sales per annum. Les Cafés V.P. was founded in 1994 by Marcel Hachem and James Essaris, two "passionate epicureans fascinated by the world of taste."

Look out St-Viateur and Fairmount.