As temperatures outside plummet, our desire for piping hot soups rocket.
JEFF KORBELIK / GZO | Posted: Wednesday, April 1, 2009 12:00 am
As temperatures outside plummet, our desire for piping hot soups rocket.
That's why Ground Zero has decided to provide readers with its top five places to enjoy a cup or a bowl this winter.
Compiling the list wasn't easy. Just about every restaurant has soup.
We left off full-service eateries with trained chefs such as jtk, Dish, Venue, Wilderness Ridge, etc., because good soup is a given at these places.
Our criteria: Soups have to be homemade (no cans or premixed packages), and the restaurant must have a reputation for its soups.
We invite readers to share their favorites. If we get enough responses, we'll compile a second list and report back.
So without further ado, our top five (in alphabetical order):
Bread & Cup
440 N. Eighth St.
Soups: Tuscan White Bean, Pumpkin Mulligatawny, Italian Pasta, Tomato Curry With Peanut, Split Pea and Sausage, Heirloom Pumpkin With Apple Sage and Toasted Coconut, French Onion, Black Bean With Lime Salsa, Squash Swirl (butternut and acorn)
Cost: Cup, $3; bowl, $4
Phone: 438-2255
The skinny: Bread & Cup has two soups each day, with one vegetarian. Soups are on a schedule, based on the season, with the to-die-for Black Bean With Lime Salsa available on Fridays. Soup is served with baguette slices and crostini (crisp bread).
Thé Cup
645 S. 25th St., Suite 7
Soups: Roasted Red Pepper Bisque, Moroccan Tomato, West African Peanut, Oaxacan Potato, Gingered Carrot Soup, Chickpea Soup, Hungarian Mushroom, Fire Roasted Tomato, Curry Pumpkin Bisque, North African Split Pea
Cost: Cup, $2.75; bowl, $3.50 served with fresh-baked bread
Phone: 475-0494
The skinny: One of the cool things about enjoying soup at Thé Cup is the cups and bowls, made by a local potter. Regulars have favorites. The restaurant offers two different kinds of soups daily, with one as vegan. Both are gluten-free. Soup is served with fresh-baked bread.
Freakbeat Vegetarian
(formerly Grateful Bread)
1625 S. 17th St.
Soups: Moroccan Tomato, Santa Fe Chowder, Irish Stew, Southern Sweet Potato Cheddar, Dutch Potato, Tibetan Noodle, Indian Spiced Lentil, Indonesian Curried Vegetable, African Peanut, Creamy Hungarian Bean
Cost: Bowl, $4.50; to-go, $4 (12 ounces), $4.75 (16 ounces) and $8.75 (32 ounces)
Phone: 474-0101
The skinny: Freakbeat has Moroccan Tomato and Santa Fe Chowder each day along with four others. Two or three are vegan. Soup is served with choice of bread: focaccia, cheese scone, French or muffin. The focaccia and French breads are vegan, too.
Green Gateau
330 S. 10th St.
Soups: French Onion, Roasted Red Pepper Bisque with Smoked Gouda, Lobster Bisque, Tequila Lime Chicken, Crab Bisque
Cost: Cup, $3; bowl, $6
Phone: 477-0330
The skinny: The Green Gateau serves Lincoln's best breakfasts, but it also has s nice variety of soups for lunch and dinner. The Roasted Red Pepper is available every day. The other soup changes daily. Most soups are served with a tasty Parmesan crisp.
Parkway Pub
2555 S. 48th St.
Soups: Ham and bean, chicken noodle, cream of chicken and rice, beef noodle, vegetable soup
Cost: Cup, $2.50; bowl, $2.60
Phone: 483-7763
The skinny: Parkway's soups aren't gourmet like the other restaurants. Just traditional. And hearty - the way mom or grandma used to make them. Fred Valenta saves the juice from the roast he prepares on Tuesdays for his hot beef sandwiches to use Thursday in his beef noodle soup.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.