| Malay Cafe's Herb Soup |
Like many of my friends right now, I'm fighting a nasty cold. The symptoms? Coughing, sneezing, runny nose and fatigue.
My doctor prescribed antibiotics, cough syrup and hot soup. Not just any hot soup, but a restorative soup -- filled with the kind of ingredients that have soothing, health-inducing qualities. (Never forget that the word restaurant, first used by French food vendor Boulanger in 1765, was inspired by restorare, the Latin term meaning "to restore or refresh." It isn't enough to eat at a restaurant, you should be restored too.) The qualities of a good restorative soup: visual appeal, of course, a light broth base, and a fragrant aroma.
So, in a get-well message to everyone still fighting off winter's miseries, here are the city's top five restaurants to get some restorative soup.
5. Red Snapper -- Don't mistake chef-owner Casey Chao's egg drop soup with the slimy, neon-yellow stuff served in ordinary Chinese restaurants and buffets. His version of this classic is light, fresh and delicious.
4. Happy Gillis -- The soups change frequently at this "cafe and hang-out," but today the restaurant is serving a hearty potato soup with ham and roasted garlic. Garlic wards off vampires and colds.
3. Hot Basil -- Fans of chef Lee Chai's Thom Yum soup swear by it. The combination of potent lemongrass, kefir lime and cilantro is not only soothing but intoxicating.
2. Stroud's -- Both locations, north and south, for this iconic fried-chicken shack serve a kick-ass chicken noodle soup with thick doughy noodles and pieces of chicken breast in a fragrant broth.
1. Malay Cafe -- This Malasian restaurant's Herb Soup is deceptively simple: a bowl of translucent broth with pieces of chicken, broccoli, onion, carrot, cabbage, green peppers and squash. The secret ingredient is the herb: ginseng.
Showing 1-5 of 5
Thanks for this list! I was looking for these types of soups and didn't know where to go. Perfect.
The veggie soup at Blue Koi will make you feel better even if you don't feel bad. It's why the word restorative exists-those veggies are so perfectly cooked, not soggy or raw, but tender with a little bite. Soooo gooood!
The Thai Place's Seafood Volcano Soup is the one and only cure for a head cold. (Unfortunately since the downtown location closed, it's not terribly accessible for me.) On the other hand, you probably want to avoid it if your symptoms include anything stomach-related, lest you end up with your own seafood volcano.
The Thai Place's Seafood Volcano Soup is the one and only cure for a head cold. (Unfortunately since the downtown location closed, it's not terribly accessible for me.) On the other hand, you probably want to avoid it if your symptoms include anything stomach-related, lest you end up with your own seafood volcano.
like
dislike
