Serious question for the board. My usual corner spot on the UWS switched rolls on the BEC. The roll is smaller, the egg tastes like it sat in a steam tray, and they wrap it so tight you peel half the cheese off with the foil. I don't need artisanal. I need a proper bodega BEC on a roll that doesn't cost brunch money. Who still does it right? Manhattan mostly, but I'll ride for the right one.

Okay I just moved here and didn't realize there was a difference between rolls and heroes? I got a BEC near Dyker on my first week and it came on a long roll, pressed, and it was decent. But now I feel like I missed the real thing. What should I be asking for exactly? Also do you say saltpepperketchup as one word or is that just a meme?

Roll is round, DykerNewbie. Kaiser or Portuguese. If it's long and pressed on a grill, that's a panini with extra steps. Saltpepperketchup is real but I always say salt, pepper, hot sauce. The spot by me in Flatbush still does a three-egg BEC on a real hero, but the roll version is harder to find because the rolls go stale faster. You want the outside toasted lightly on the flat top, not pressed. The cheese should stick to the egg, not the foil.

Flatbush_Fi gets it. The foil test is real. If they wrap it tight while the cheese is still sliding around, you're eating a wrapper. My spot used to do two eggs over hard, cheese on the roll first, then eggs, then bacon, then ketchup on the top lid. Now the new guy puts cheese on the cutting board? Not sure what that's about. What's the spot by you in Flatbush? I'll take a train for a proper one.

Went back to the same place today and said BEC on a roll, not pressed. The guy looked at me like I was ordering something illegal, but gave me a round roll with the egg folded. It was way better, even though the bacon was extra crispy. Is floppy bacon the standard? Also the free coffee refill made it worth whatever I paid. I think I'm becoming a roll person.

Floppy or at least a slice of bacon not shattered. If it shatters into the foil, they cooked it too hard. If you're by me, look for any spot where they keep the bacon in a little pile on the flat top and put it on last. The one I meant is on Nostrand near the old theater, blue awning, no seating. Not the cleanest, but the cook flips the roll on the flattop with butter. You can say no wrapper, just paper plate.

DykerNewbie, floppy is not mandatory but bacon shouldn't be glass. If I wanted shards I'd get a bag of chips. Blue awning on Nostrand, no seating — added to list. I'll report back. Also now I'm craving a TEC on a roll. Turkey, egg, cheese? Underrated if you ask me. Most spots only push bacon or sausage and the turkey sits there dry. Need a place that throws on a little butter and black pepper.

Ok last update from me until I try Flatbush_Fi's place. Found a spot near 91st and Columbus that doesn't press the roll, but they still cut the sandwich in half without asking. Why do they do that? It makes the egg slide out the back. Do you just eat it with both hands? Also is turkey bacon a crime in this city? My roommate told me to stop asking.

Cutting it in half is fine if they wrap it right, but no to turkey bacon if we're doing this properly. Turkey sausage maybe, not turkey bacon. For UWS, try the counters on Amsterdam with the Korean-controlled flattops. Ask for on a roll, two eggs, cheese, bacon, light toast, no cut. If they ask no cut twice, that's a good sign. If they press it anyway, walk out and try the next bodega. They're every other block for a reason.