Soup-er Comfort: Dive Into These Warm, Cozy Bowls 🍲✨
Stirring up the best of in Laguna
When it comes to comfort food, I typically end up in one of two camps - beef stroganoff or … soup. Well, and maybe the occasional pizza.
As the fires rage on with our neighbors, soup kitchens are popping up everywhere. On a much more minor note, when I got leveled on New Year’s Day with the worst cold in decades, I made soup, soup and more soup. My dear friends and clients, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen had some kind of workable idea (to the tune of hundreds of millions) when they came up with “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books. And as my friend, Ruben, said in my radio show on Monday, “soup just makes you feel like it’s going to be alright.”
What soup in town makes you feel alright?
Ruben and I went through a litany of favorites on Monday KXFM 104.7 show …
The three great tortilla soups at El Ranchito “Mama Avila’s,” South of Nick’s and Coyote Grill
Perennial locals’ favorites – Maui Onion Soup from Chef Marc Cohen at 230 Forest as well as Lumberyard and Nirvana Grille, both fabulous French Onion Soups.
Starfish’s Pho Soup in five different versions (chicken, steak, prawns, veggie and non-GMO tofu) … and I really like their Chicken & Shrimp Wonton soup, too
The surprising variety of great soups at (yes!) NEA Pizza. Their Sausage & Gnocchi soup is fabulous, for starters, and their Chicken soup versions knock it out of the park.
And your favorite would be … hit the reply on this email and send me the note!
A whole bunch of soups in one place I’m particularly loving
I’ve got to say - I feel like my discovery of Evan’s Gourmet last summer was one of those great finds in Laguna Beach that you want to keep all to yourself (because you certainly don’t want to get crowded out of the chef’s bar) BUT you can’t keep your mouth shut about.
Chef Evan just has a thing for soup and she currently has about eight remarkable soups in rotation. I find myself waiting impatiently until Wednesday (because Evan’s is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays) just to see what’s on the chalkboard by way of SOUP. (Tonight (Wed) by the way, it’s Lobster Bisque. It’s glorious.)
Among Evan’s many options:
Her Sawdust bestseller – Smoked Tomato Soup with garlic crumbs
Potato Leek Soup topped with bacon, sour cream and scallions
Cream of Asparagus
Ginger Carrot with just a hint of curry and topped with pepitas
Vegan Lentil Vegetable soup
Celery soup (really nutty tasting!)
and - one of my all-time favorites - her Cream of Mushroom soup.
I’ve never been a cream of mushroom soup fan until I came across Chef Evan’s version. I’ve become such a fan, in fact, that I beseeched her for the actual recipe. She calls it her “Tantara Winery Mushroom Soup,” because it was a gift she created for Tantara after a particularly fun and inviting wine tasting she attended. Much to many fans’ dismay, the lovely winery recently - and permanently - closed. BUT! I have the prized recipe right here!
Enjoy bringing some comfort into your home (and make extra batches for people who really need comfort at this time, too).