I’m no foodie. In fact, I’m so picky about food, I’m often only able to find one item on a restaurant’s menu that I want to order. Soup, on the other hand, has been a lifelong love of mine, ever since I could operate the can opener. So I guess that makes me a soupie?
To me, there’s nothing better than a steaming bowl of flavors, something that takes awhile to eat and warms me from the inside out (although I don’t want to dismiss the amazing-ness of a nice chilled gazpacho in the summertime). I could survive on chicken tortilla, tomato bisque, miso, potato leek, French onion, white bean chili, she crab, beer cheese, butternut squash, corn chowder, wonton, classic chicken noodle...and the list goes on and on. I’m obsessed with soup, it’s my absolute favorite kind of food, as unimpressive as my foodie husband seems to think that is. You can keep your medium rare ribeye, your 25 pound lobster or whatever. I’ll have the soup with a side of soup, please!
I’ve been thinking about all the soups out there, and which ones are in my book the best of the best. For now, until I go on a soup tasting tour of the world (which would be awesome if someone wants to sponsor me!), I’ve limited my Best Soup list below to the Greenville, SC area.
#5 - Cauliflower and Gorgonzola Soup from The Green Room: It’s almost as thick as hummus, topped with curried raisins, and is a rich and flavorful soup that steals the show in a restaurant where that’s no easy thing to do.
# 4 - Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque from Babaziki Mediterranean Grill: chunky tomato soup, add a side of hummus and pita, plus a cool casual atmosphere to enjoy it in, and you’re all set. I always skip the feta cheese on top, but I’m sure some less picky people would enjoy that. I’ve got big problems with feta!
#3 - Chicken Pho from Pho Noodleville: not just for sick days! I always add extra lime juice to the broth (like ¼ cup or more, no joke), and use every last basil leaf on my plate of extras to perfect this Vietnamese favorite.
#2 - Posole from Tako Sushi: bring a handkerchief because this one will make you sweat. It’s the kind of spicy that sneaks up on you. A giant bowl of New Mexico hominy soup with pork comes with a huge platter of toppings that rival any taco bar to add in as you please. Don’t be shy, dump ALL of that sour cream in there and then ask for more!
#1 - Sopa de Pollo from Compadre’s: it’s the broth that gets me. Whatever’s in it, whatever those spices are that tint the clear stock slightly orange, they’re amazing. Perfectly pulled chicken, an abundance of cilantro, rice at the bottom, avocado at the top, onion and diced tomato floating in between, it all makes for one of the heartiest, most flavorful soups I’ve ever had.
Honorable mentions:
Tomato soup from Tupelo Honey - with a grilled cheese, of course!
Wonton soup from Oriental House - a bowl of liquid comfort
Southwest Chicken Soup from Chili's - a surprisingly good tortilla-style soup you can get in just about any city in the USA
Roasted Red Pepper and Gouda from Schlotsky’s
- Autumn Squash Soup from Panera - even chain restaurants have tasty soups!
