the beef barley soup at the old ada's in northbrook was really fantastic. i'm gonna harbor a guess that the remaining ada's downtown on wabash serves the same goods.

rosie wrote:
This past summer, I also dined at Le Titi de Paris for Bastille Day and Chef Maddox served a soup for amuse bouche. It was served cold and was a dreamy blend of leeks and other things - possibly cucumber. I've had it there twice and wished that I could take a quart home for later!!!

Michael Maddox does turn out some outrageously good soups -- as well as a lot of other delights. If you really love the soup, ask if you could buy a quart. Michael's pretty amenable to doing whatever makes the customers happy, and he might very well accommodate your request. (A couple of years ago, I e-mailed him with my 10 favorite ingredients, including stipulations that truffles and foie gras had to show up in least two courses, and asked him to create a birthday dinner for me, and he did. I don't think a quart of soup would be a problem at all.)

We're coming up to bouillabaisse season, too, and Michael does a mighty fine job with that, as well. That's a soup that's worth a drive.

I'm with christopher gordon on this one...Soup is my number one favorite meal. I could live on soup alone. and indeed - there are so many great places around to get it! I have to admit - being biased because I work there - my current favorite soup is here at the Grotto. But it's only served as a special on rare occasion. It's the Bookbinder Soup - a fish soup with a wonderful thin, rich fish broth, chunks of grouper and snapper, chunky vegetables (tri-color peppers, onions, potatoes), with sherry incorporated into the broth. traditionally this soup was served with a side of sherry that the diner could pour into the soup themselves. I love this soup!

I found this blog dedicated to soup:

http://suzette.typepad.com/the_joy_of_soup/lets_eat_out/index.html

leesh wrote:I'm with christopher gordon on this one...Soup is my number one favorite meal. I could live on soup alone. and indeed - there are so many great places around to get it! I have to admit - being biased because I work there - my current favorite soup is here at the Grotto. But it's only served as a special on rare occasion. It's the Bookbinder Soup - a fish soup with a wonderful thin, rich fish broth, chunks of grouper and snapper, chunky vegetables (tri-color peppers, onions, potatoes), with sherry incorporated into the broth. traditionally this soup was served with a side of sherry that the diner could pour into the soup themselves. I love this soup!

I found this blog dedicated to soup:

http://suzette.typepad.com/the_joy_of_soup/lets_eat_out/index.html

Bookbinder(tm) -red snapper- soup is still served at the Coq D'or in The Drake Hotel...as well as the venerable Cape Cod...same

what a sublime soup!

and the demitasse of sherry just takes it over the edge...that and a pretzel roll(not always available)

leesh wrote: It's the Bookbinder Soup - a fish soup with a wonderful thin, rich fish broth, chunks of grouper and snapper, chunky vegetables (tri-color peppers, onions, potatoes), with sherry incorporated into the broth. traditionally this soup was served with a side of sherry that the diner could pour into the soup themselves. I love this soup!

Out of curiosity, does it immitate Bookbinder's snapper soup, which is made with snapper turtle, or the Drake's Bookbinder's soup, which is made with snapper fish?

And looking at websites on soup -- http://www.soupsong.com/ -- offers soup recipes, soup literature, soup jokes, and more. Just a lovely place for soup fanciers.

Despite admitted hits and misses at May St. Cafe in Pilsen, the tortilla soup is always fiery enough to make your nose run, your lips tingle and your tongue and belly very, very happy.

Can't believe no one has mentioned the amazing tortilla soup at Los Nopales. So different. The first time we had it, the chef suggested we share it--a great idea because it was rich, complex and satisfying and sharing it left room to try the other wonderful food offered there. Another great soup is the corn and crab at Dorado--yum. And I will mention the split pea soup at Chicago Brauhaus. Split pea is not my favorite, but slowisgood pronounced it "excellent".

We have a relatively new Chicago's Pizza by us and I like their chicken noodle soup. Just the right amount of everything.

We go to the one on Irving, but I bet they have the same soup everywhere.

http://www.chicagos-pizza.com/site/epage/home_158.htm

Cynthia wrote:

leesh wrote: It's the Bookbinder Soup - a fish soup with a wonderful thin, rich fish broth, chunks of grouper and snapper, chunky vegetables (tri-color peppers, onions, potatoes), with sherry incorporated into the broth. traditionally this soup was served with a side of sherry that the diner could pour into the soup themselves. I love this soup!

Out of curiosity, does it immitate Bookbinder's snapper soup, which is made with snapper turtle, or the Drake's Bookbinder's soup, which is made with snapper fish?

And looking at websites on soup -- http://www.soupsong.com/ -- offers soup recipes, soup literature, soup jokes, and more. Just a lovely place for soup fanciers.

I can only speak as per The Drake, but their venerable--Cape Cod Room pedigree Bookbinder(and when one speaks of Bookbinder in general...trademark, original, especiale) it's assumed red snapper...hey! I just had some yesterday!

the Bookbinder *turtle* soup is always delineated as such; i.e. it's not simply "Bookbinder."

Here is an older soup thread that Vital Information started on chicken soup at Halina's.

Au Bon Pain is a chain, yes, but as far as the one place that offers some of the best soups I've had I'd put them right on the top of the list. Other places might do one type of soup really good but I love Au Bon's whole lineup.

Soup is one of those things that so many places just do not do well. I'm always disappointed when I order soup and see what I'm served.

rdstoll wrote:Au Bon Pain is a chain, yes, but as far as the one place that offers some of the best soups I've had I'd put them right on the top of the list. Other places might do one type of soup really good but I love Au Bon's whole lineup.

The gloppy, slimy texture of ABP's cream soups and the over-the-top saltiness of all of them don't do it for me. Add canned flavor and you got Campbell's.

I can only speak as per The Drake, but their venerable--Cape Cod Room pedigree Bookbinder(and when one speaks of Bookbinder in general...trademark, original, especiale) it's assumed red snapper...hey! I just had some yesterday!

Well, maybe at the Drake, but the original "Bookbinder's Famous Snapper Soup" from the original Bookbinder's in Philly seems to be turtle--for which a shot of sherry has always been a traditional accompaniment, to cut the richness of the broth.

Here's a recipe (well, sort of, it's aspparently a trade secret):
http://70.87.42.251/articles/2005-05-19/naked.shtml

How about the inscrutable Korean Chicken Soup palace... Ssyal Ginger House?

The time for soup has returned. It's time to resurrect this thread.

To start things off this soup season, I recently stopped into Big Buns & Pita to get some carryout (which was better than usual). The owner suggested I try their seasonal soup called Douckua. I had asked for the soup several times in the past, but was told they didn't have any. Apparently, the primary ingredient is a type of dried yogurt that is hard to find. I guess the Oakton Bakery in Skokie (an Assyrian establishment), now carries it. The owner told me the recipe is 7000 (?) years old. The creamy soup was hearty and delicious. Besides the yogurt, there was meat in it (probably lamb), barley and bits of dried herbs. I will go back there in the next couple of days for more details on the seasonings. I have tried looking the soup up on the internet, but could find no references. It is similar to an Armenian soup which is made with yogurt and barley, but without meat. Anyhow, it was an excellent way to kick off the soup season.

I will probably regret getting into the fray on this, but Bookbinder's Snapper Soup - that is Bookbinder's of Philadelphia - is made with turtle meat.

sarcon wrote:I will probably regret getting into the fray on this, but Bookbinder's Snapper Soup - that is Bookbinder's of Philadelphia - is made with turtle meat.

huh?

or rather, na und?

What else would a "snapper" be?

How about a good chili? Any recommendation of places in Chicago?

Of course, whether or not a chili is "good" to you is relative to your definition of chili, but I found the chili at "Catch n' Carry," the carryout end of Catch 35 located in the Leo Burnett building to be good with chunks of sirloin and a balanced flavor rather than the ground meat/chili powder overdose of standard Loop commercial chilis.

Catch n Carry
35 W. Wacker Drive
Chicago

I'm not a big soup eater, but...

* I love any creamy soup in a sourdough bread bowl. In Chicago, I think I've only had the broccoli cheddar at Panera. It does the trick. Suggestions for other places?
* I also had a very tasty and filling mixed seafood soup at Mirai a few years ago. It was packed with shrimp, mussels (?), white fish...
* Alinea's Hot Potato, Cold Potato is the best de-constructed soup I've ever had.
* Outside of Chicago, one of the most memorable soups I've ever had was part of a tasting menu at HanGawi, in Manhattan's Korean Town. It was a simple pumpkin soup, but it was served at the perfect temperature and dressed with a few toasted pinenuts. It was one of the most comforting foods I've ever eaten.

I cook soup occasionally, almost only in the fall and winter. One of my favorites to make is an adaptation of Moosewood's West African Ground Nut Stew (OK, it's a stew, but I cook it down until it's completely smooth). I usually substitute eggplant for the okra.

I think The Brown Sack is a great place to hit for soup. They have some great standards on the menu at all times, and also mix it up with specials. Last time I went I had an amazing corn chowder, with hunks of potato, bacon and jalapeno. It really made me yearn for colder weather
Jamie

The Depot had some mighty hearty and tasty chili on the menu last year.

crrush wrote:The Depot had some mighty hearty and tasty chili on the menu last year.

Not to mention a good and 'honest' chicken soup.

I can think of two Polish places that make a great soup.

I absolutely love the white borscht at Halina's on Lawrence with its chunks of potato, a whole boiled egg and polish sausage in a creamy broth.

I'm also a big fan of the huge portion of smoky bean and sausage soup at Smak Tak. The portion is enough for lunch on it's own.

I recently had a Tortellini in Brodo soup at Quartino that had a rich, dark chicken stock, spinach and al dente-outside, but light and unctuous-inside cheese tortellini. Filling, but not as stodgy as cream soups.

Quartino
626 N. State St.
Chicago, IL 60610
312-698-5000

Roast duck wonton noodle soup at Sun Wah. I crave it just about daily, and now that it's cooler out, I can enjoy this hearty bowl of goodness without breaking a big sweat.

I am also the type to make soup all year round. I have a giant tome of soup recipes so I've been making one per week since I bought it.

Ben Tre has a nice Pho. I could eat Miso every day. Bob Evans used to have a great chicken stew type thing that was top drawer. I love the Lobster Bisque at Soupbox, and Wildfire makes a nice one too. Red Apple makes an addictive chicken noodle.

Lately I made Pumpkin with Rice and Curry, Garlic, Bean & Lentil, Jamaican Fish Soup, Gumbo, some kind of Asian fish soup with okra, and Cazuela, which is kinda more of a stew that is on this board somewhere. There have been many more and now that fall is here, I'll be making more with potatoes and such. I have some leftover spicy salami too. Sounds like a chili night is in our future.

Wednesday I'm making my first oxtail soup ever. (When did oxtails become so expensive?) Saturday I'm using up some leftover butternut squash for a soup that is 'something like a wet risotto' according to the book, with some blue cheese too. And pretty soon, 'shroom.

I recently tried a pumpkin soup that was the creation of Andy Avalos' wife (NBC). I made it using pie pumkins that I roasted. It was possibly one of the best soups I had ever made. Here is the link http://www.nbcchicago.com/station/as_se ... ideas.html

I'm liking the lentil soup that comes with all lunch specials at Larsa's on Dempster in Skokie. It's only a cup, but it's in a chicken, slightly-curried broth, with potatoes & carrots and flecked with dill. Dip the accompanying flat pita in there, nibble on their cold vegetable relish tray, and wait for the entree. Good eatin'!