It’s January, and it’s freezing outside. What better way to warm up after some time in the cold than sipping a comforting bowl of fog-up-your-glasses soup?
In order to give you some inspiration, here is a list of five noteworthy soups I’ve gathered from around the Salt Lake Valley. They run the gamut from bisque-type soups to noodle soups, and from meaty to vegetarian-friendly.
Of course, this list isn’t an exhaustive one; it’s just five places with really, really good soup.
So, while we’re still in winter’s grip, warm your body and soul with these satisfying soups.
Hero Hotpot
Hotpot is one of the most interactive experiences you’ll ever have with soup. At Hero Hotpot — located in Salt Lake Chinatown — you start by selecting two broths, which fill a large two-section pot that’s sitting on a hot plate at the table. Then you pick your ingredients, which you place in the broth, and allow them to simmer until cooked. Then you grab what you want to eat, put it in your bowl, pour in some broth, and eat up.
When I went, my favorite ingredients were the lotus root slices, fresh radish, thinly sliced beef, ramen noodles and bok choy. But the possibilities are endless — you just order whatever you’d like from the tablet at your table. Don’t forget to visit the sauce station to add even more flavor. 3390 S. State St., Suite #33, South Salt Lake, SaltLakeChinatown.com
(Kolbie Peterson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The grilled cheese panini and tomato bisque from Eva's Bakery.
Eva’s Bakery
When I visited Eva’s Bakery in downtown Salt Lake City on a sunny afternoon, I was craving my favorite meal: tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. And, boy, did this little bakery and cafe deliver. I ordered the grilled cheese panini and tomato bisque, which was a creamy tomato basil soup bursting with tomato flavor. And the grilled cheese panini, made with Gruyère and bechamel sauce on country bread, was the perfect vehicle to get that soup into my mouth.
It was all I could do to not eat melted cheese with my fingers as it slowly dripped out of my sandwich and onto my plate, and I barely had time to take a photo before I gobbled it all. 155 S. Main St., Salt Lake City, 801-355-3942, EvasBakerySLC.com
(Kolbie Peterson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Smoky lentil soup with speck from Caputo's Market and Deli.
Caputo’s
I don’t think many people know how big of a deal soup is at Caputo’s Market and Deli, and I think that’s a shame. But Caputo’s makes a new type of soup almost every day, all just waiting to be paired with one of this deli’s killer sandwiches. Call ahead or check the blackboard in the deli to learn the soup of the day.
When I visited, I had the smoky lentil with speck, which is a cold-cured, lightly smoked ham or bacon from northeastern Italy, according to La Cucina Italiana’s glossary. The soup was indeed smoky, with plenty of lentils, spinach, carrots, yellow bell peppers, celery and onion, but it all allowed the speck to shine. The chewy meat added just the right amount of saltiness to the soup, which was comforting and satisfying on that cold day. Multiple locations, Caputos.com
(Kolbie Peterson | The Salt Lake Tribune) French onion soup from Gourmandise.
Gourmandise
One word kept coming to mind as I was devouring this soup, and that was “rich.” Made up of caramelized onions in a deeply flavored broth, with toasted bread and a blend of melted Gruyère and Swiss cheese on top, this soup was nothing short of decadent.
In fact, there was so much cheesy goodness that I had to twirl the melted cheese around my spoon and then stretch it way out beyond my bowl in order to get the bites into my mouth. When I got down to the bottom, I made sure to scrape out every bit of onion and cheese. You will, too. Multiple locations, Gourmandise.com
(Kolbie Peterson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The pho with rare beef and meatballs from Pho 777.
Pho 777
There may not be much science to the following statement, but I really believe that the steam from a bowl of pho is medicinal. Just trust me on this.
At Pho 777 in West Valley City, I ordered the pho with rare beef and meatballs (pho tai bo vien). It came out piping hot and steaming, with the customary plate of Thai basil, fresh lime wedges, bean sprouts and various sauces on the side. The broth was fully flavored and fatty, made from beef bones and spices including cinnamon and coriander. The world fell away as I was slurping these noodles. 3585 S. Redwood Road, West Valley City, 385-528-0189, Pho777Utah.com
