FOOD : Frank Gehry Designs for Bagels

“BAGELS SHOULD have a crunchy exterior and a chewy interior,” says N.Y. Bagel Co. owner David Rosen. Visually, the interior of the bagel bakery/deli also has unique textures. Architect Frank Gehry, an old friend of Rosen’s, originally sketched plans for the “bagelry” on a napkin. His design features plywood walls, wood parquet floor interspersed with cement squares, and an exact-scale replica (33 feet long) of New York’s

Chrysler Building crashing through the ceiling (and doubling as a surreal galvanized-steel chandelier).

osen’s hand-rolled bagels are huge--up to 20% bigger than most commercial bagels, weighing in at 4 to 4 1/2 ounces. Flavors include plain (water), pumpernickel, rye, cheese, egg, sesame, poppy, salt, onion and cinnamon-raisin.

Made of water, malt, salt, yeast and flour, bagels contain no fat, Rosen says. Eaten plain, a bagel has about 163 calories--cream cheese is another matter. (Rosen also offers four designer cream cheese flavors: Nova Scotia smoked salmon, scallion, a vegetable-and-garlic blend and plain.) Bagels run 45 cents each; bagel sandwiches, depending on the spread, from $1.50 to $7.

N . Y . Bagel Co., 11640 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles; (213) 820-1050.