Belle’s Bagels founders Nick Schreiber and J.D. Rocchio have dipped in and out of existence in NELA. In 2015, the duo surfaced at La Perla Bakery in Highland Park, and they recently returned to the neighborhood, this time selling bagels and bagel sandwiches Thursday through Sunday mornings from the ticket window in a new music venue called The Hi-Hat.

Belle’s minimalist operation consists of cushioned black stools that rest at a thin counter along York Boulevard. Bagels are made with Central Milling flour and are available with either butter or schmears made with Sierra Nevada Cream Cheese or cultured cashew. Three sandwiches host uncooked ingredients, since Belle’s Bagels has no means to cook on-site.

Bagels are chewy, moderately sized, and come in five flavors: plain, poppy, sesame, everything, or salt. I ordered a cleverly titled Loxsmith ($9) sandwich with silky Michel Cordon Bleu lox, crispy salmon skin, dill, and beet cream cheese on my choice of bagel, everything.

If you like your bagel, and you probably will, drop some loose change or crisp bills in a tip jar that reads “Byers Family Fund.”