This healthy eating thing means more cooking at home, and less eating out for me, which leaves me a little less to write about these days, at least when it comes to eating out.
But I’ve been thinking a lot about soup lately. Soup is one of those things that I used to hesitate to order at a restaurant. There are so many great things I want to try—and soup just seems like, well, soup.
Some great chefs and servers have set me straight by recommending I get the soup, in the past, and almost always, they are right. So I’m on a quest, now, for killer, brothy soups.
Share your favorites in the comments.
My go-to carry-out soup:
Shrimp Curry Soup, Lotus Restaurant ($6-$8)
I love The Lotus. An awesome family owns the place, they’ve owned it for more than 25 years, and everyone who works there is family. When I stopped in for Shrimp Curry Soup, mom was in the kitchen, and she was making my soup. It’s a spicy yellow curry soup with coconut milk, lemon grass, carrots and potatoes. It’s hearty and delicious, spicy and fresh, and I love the flavors here. A small is $6, large is $8. 113 W. Grant St., Mpls., thelotusrestaurant.com
Red Lentil Soup, Saffron Minneapolis ($8)
This soup is incredible. It just is. One of the most delicious things I’ve eaten in awhile. A hint of aleppo chili, the dusting of paprika, the chunks of squash, and those perfect little lentils—fantastic. I have to get over there and have it again. Think they’d make it to go? 123 N. 3rd Street, Mpls., saffronmpls.com
Pho, Quang ($7)
To pick a favorite pho in this town is to incite an unnecessary war. I’m not going there. But I do love the pho at Quang. The broth is delicious, the meats are fresh and juicy, and the price is right ($7). When I was last there, I enjoyed the 504, Pho Tai Bo Vien, fresh sliced beef and meatballs. I love to load in the bean sprouts and jalapenos. 2719 Nicollet Ave. S, Mpls., quangrestaurant.com
Soup du Jour, The Strip Club ($4)
This is really one of the craziest deals in town. The Strip Club’s soup of the day is just $4. Recently they’ve had smoked tomato bisque with pork confit; creamy lentil, pork and pumpkin with parmigiano croutons and red chiles; roasted squash, fennel and apple soup with Minnesota wild rice. J.D. Fratzke is one of my favorite chefs and favorite people in the Twin Cities. He does soup right. 378 Maria Avenue, St. Paul, domeats.com
