Smögen Appetizers

Smögen Appetizers is a weekend-only bagel brunch. As in, the only thing on the menu are bagels. (Well, that and booze. You're dining inside a wine bar). Operating as a permanent pop-up in Sherman Oaks' Vintage Wine + Eats, Smögen uses its sourdough bagels to make elaborate Swedish open-faced sandwiches topped with all things fishy and salty. A meal here involves things like white anchovies, salty smoked trout roe, and thick slices of cured hamachi sprinkled sashimi with lemon zest. Even the housemade schmear is more savory than usual, with a distinct cheesiness missing from the mass-manufactured stuff. The actual bagels, however, can be a little hit-and-miss. Sometimes, they're crispy and crackly; other times, they're so chewy you risk losing a veneer. But if you get a good one, you're in for a great meal.

Note that Smögen is less of a bagel shop and more of a high-energy brunch spot in the Valley—complete with off-duty soccer moms and young parents chasing their morning lox with a glass of chardonnay. Expect the mimosas and wine to flow freely.