In some cultures every meal starts with a salad, or bread and butter, but growing up my meals usually started with soup. It wasn’t just any soup, but a well-thought-out soup. It would change according to season and one’s health, and “delicious” wasn’t always a priority. Sometimes it had medicinal qualities – as well as flavours – so maybe that's why I overlook it on a menu. I know I'm not alone, but soup deserves a second chance!
It’s that time of the year when warming up to a meal starts with soup, and over the last couple months I’ve come across some real winners. I wasn’t even on a search for them, but they just came up and each one was more impressive than the next.
Here are my five soups to try this season:
Award-winning seafood chowder at Forage
I got to give it to chef Chris Whittaker for making killer seafood chowders. He has won Vancouver’s Ocean Wise Seafood Chowder Chowdown competition for two consecutive years. It comes with a poached quail’s egg and a puffed pork rind as a garnish…touchdown! Order it with the roasted Golden Ears cheddar pan bread for dipping…double touchdown!
Sunset corn and chicken coup at Burgoo
Okay, so I haven’t had it in a couple years, but it’s a signature at Burgoo and I doubt it will ever come off the menu. This crowd-pleaser is made with corn, free-run chicken, cream for richness, chipotle and cumin for spice and topped with crema fresca and cilantro. Try it with a Burgoo biscuit on the side.
Soupe de canard at Chambar
They hosted the Dine Out Vancouver media preview kick-off this month and served samples of this soup which is featured on their Dine Out menu. Although I didn’t try the real deal, I was surely teased. I even thought about it the next morning. This cauliflower soup is made with barbecued duck, cilantro pistou and toasted almonds. More, please!
Roasted parsnip vanilla bean soup at Diva at the Met
Also featured on their Dine Out Vancouver menu is this sweet and savoury soup made with apple compote, raisin croutons and crispy pork belly. It was a beautiful medley of ingredients and my favourite on the Dine Out menu next to the incredible tiramisu.
Lobster bisque en croute at Boulevard
It’s new to the menu and not even advertised online yet. It’s such an old school French restaurant menu item, but it’s a classic and chef Alex Chen has really perfected it here. It’s only available on Fridays, so try it before the season ends and it will make you fall in love with lobster bisque all over again.
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