I Wanna Be a Muffin Man

Muffins are like sophisticated cupcakes without the icing. That's part of what makes them in many cases, very bland. One can spice them up with blueberries or smear butter in an effort to liven it up, but realistically speaking, the muffin is hardly the go-to for most of Bay Ridge. However, there's nothing boring about the Red Velvet muffin from Five Star Bagel.

The muffin does its namesake justice, with the majority of its soft, spongy form taking on the appropriate flavor between chocolate in vanilla. In this example, the slider strays more toward the cocoa bean, but the hint of vanilla is key. Baked fresh in the morning, so long as one gets to this muffin before it's gone, it's a perfect way to perk up before the daily commute. Unlike many such machinations, this bundle of boo-ya doesn't lose its appeal after the first few bites. It's good from start to finish and like most of its brothers and sisters, doesn't go poorly with a bit of butter or a toast.