The 'Sun City' Bodega Spicy Honey Build
Chapter 3 — Breakfast Bagels
Born at Call Your Mother in Washington D.C., the Sun City is a triumphant collision of New York corner-store grit and modern American indulgence. It relies on a hyper-specific bodega griddle technique—an egg folded like a crepe to trap molten American and Cheddar cheeses within the exact footprint of an everything bagel. It’s messy, unapologetic, and aggressively drizzled with hot honey to cut through the rich, fatty heft of rendered pastrami. Eat this standing at your kitchen counter, and you'll understand why a sixteen-dollar breakfast sandwich is sometimes worth every damn penny.
Ingredients
- everything bagel1
- thick-cut bacon or hot smoked pastrami3 oz
- egg1 large
- water1/2 tsp
- unsalted butter1 tsp
- American cheese1 slice
- sharp cheddar cheese1 slice
- spicy honey1 tbsp
- kosher salt1 pinch
- black pepper1 pinch
Method
- 01
Render the fat from your chosen meat.
Lightly griddle the pastrami or fry the bacon until crisp, then set aside on a paper towel.
- 02
Prepare the bagel halves on your assembly board.
Lay both halves of your everything bagel cut-side up. If it is a day old, give it a light toast; if it is fresh from the morning bake, leave it alone. Do not scoop the bagel.
- 03
Whisk the egg and water until completely uniform.
In a small bowl, vigorously whisk the egg with the water, salt, and pepper until no streaks of albumen remain.
- 04
Pour the egg into a hot, buttered skillet to form a thin crepe.
Melt the butter in a small non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the egg and immediately swirl the pan to coat the bottom evenly.
- 05
Place the cheese slices directly in the center of the setting egg.
Wait about 30 seconds for the bottom of the egg to set, then lay the American and Cheddar slices squarely in the middle.
- 06
Fold the edges of the egg inward to form a sealed, molten cheese packet.
Swiftly fold the four rounded edges of the egg inward over the cheese like a business letter. Turn off the heat and let the square packet sit in the pan for 30 seconds so the cheeses fuse.
- 07
Stack the meat and egg, then aggressively drizzle with spicy honey.
Place the hot meat on the bottom bagel half, slide the bodega egg square on top, and apply the spicy honey. You need the sweet heat to counteract the heavy cheddar and cured pork.
- 08
Wrap tightly in foil and slice cleanly in half before serving.
Press the top half of the bagel down firmly. Wrap the entire sandwich in deli parchment or foil, then use a serrated knife to slice it down the middle, revealing the oozing core.
Notes
To scoop or not to scoop?
For a towering Lox-and-Everything, scooping creates a natural cradle. For the Sun City, the bagel remains completely intact to absorb the spicy honey and egg yolk. No scooping permitted here.