The Original Soup Man

Oh, sweet irony: I’ve been invited to sample Soup Man many times in the past but have had to decline due to a scheduling conflict each time.  This time, feeling antsy on a Friday, I invited myself to join TC’s plans and met up with him at the original location in Midtown.  After staring at the menu for a long time, Tweeting about what I might get, I finally settled on the most expensive soup: lobster bisque.  My throat was hurting, and I wanted soup. 

Since we were going to, um, eat after this, I ordered the smallest size – 8 ounces – for $8.  This came with a Lindt’s milk chocolate truffle that I gave to TC, a lovely plum, and a slice of bread.  Considering all that stuff comes with whatever size you get – even the cheaper soups, which bottom out at $5 for the small size – it isn’t a bad lunch at all. 

I was a little surprised when I opened the soup itself though. 

The first time I had bisque, I was eight years old and my father brought me some from his workplace.  He gave it to me, and after I’d eaten it, I asked why it was so smooth.  “Because bisque is smooth.”  Bisque is classically a pureed & strained soup, completely smooth – though most of the time, when I’ve ordered it in restaurants, chunks of seafood graced the top.  The liquid part was always completely smooth, though.  Here, it was filled with a small dice of various vegetables (red peppers, celery, etc).  Ironically, I tend to avoid ordering bisque because I like texture in my food, and soup is no exception.  However, I ordered the bisque on this day because my throat hurt and I wanted a soup I could quickly drink, soothing my sore throat.  Oh, irony. 

All this isn’t to say I didn’t like it, however.  The flavor was intense – a lot of red bell pepper sweetness, and big chunks of lobster, warranting the larger price tag.  I enjoyed my cup of soup greatly, though it floated through my head that I wish they wouldn’t call it bisque.  Understandably, I wouldn’t allow it to be called chowder, either (no potatoes), so I don’t have a better name for it.  (Note: I am not against interpretations or creative license.  I just don’t like when certain words are used on a menu that mean one thing – in this case, bisque, indicating a completely smooth soup – and then that’s not what I get.  At least an explanation on the menu so we know what we are getting; otherwise, what’s the point of knowing all these food words when they are used to mean something else, or in this case, the complete opposite?)

Yvo says: What I ordered was really quite delicious – I would not hesitate to get this again, if I were in the mood – and I would totally recommend those who like lobster soups to try this at least once.  I initially thought the price was a bit high, but after having it, I can see where it deserves that price.  Yum.
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