KCUR | By Mackenzie Martin
The weather may be trending towards warm, but the aftermath of Kansas City's recent cold snap still has a lot of us craving soup.
Then again, soup isn't exclusive to frigid temps, is it?
"There's nothing better on a grey, rainy day than a bowl of soup," says food critic Liz Cook. "Whenever the weather doesn't match your mood, soup is a great way to have a comforting hug."
Another great thing about soup is its variety. Every cuisine seems to have a few staples — whether it's a light, flavorful broth or a thick, hearty chili.
As KCUR host Brian Ellison points out though, "If you need a fork, it's a stew."
Whether you prefer stew or soup, here are the restaurants our food critics recommend trying this spring.
- Kin Lin — tomato egg drop soup. This rendition of egg drop soup featuring a brightly acidic broth, a red flush of chili oil and generous hunks of soft-stewed tomato deserves to be the default. For a heartier meal, order it with noodles. You can find it on Kin Lin's "Authentic Chinese dishes" menu.
- Vietnam Cafe — beef & brisket pho. With its add-your-own garnishes, this beef and brisket pho is perfectly suited to carryout. Vietnam Cafe even packages each item separately to keep the basil and bean sprouts crisp and the noodles chewy until you get home. The broth is the star here, though: complex, slightly sweet and fragrant thanks to star anise.
- The Corner Lalo’s Kitchen — menudo. This small restaurant in Mission is justifiably popular for its cochinita pibil served on unusually sturdy corn tortillas, but don't sleep on this traditional Mexican soup, complete with chewy hominy and perfectly tender tripe. Unlike other restaurants, you can get this soup any day of the week here.
- Waldo Thai Place — Gaeng Orm Nua Issan. The latest iteration of this northern Thai beef stew may be Waldo Thai's best yet. Spice-averse diners shouldn’t be deterred by the ingredients list. Serrano and Thai chilis may be part of the package, but the stew is mild and delicate overall.
- Kobi-Q — kimchi soup. Once-pungent kimchi infuses the broth of this bright red mildly spicy soup. The cabbage is tender and sweet and cubes of buttery tofu and thin frills of pork add bulk. It's perfect fare for a chilly, gray March day.
- My Village Grill — efo riro soup. This traditional Nigerian soup is lively and a little smoky, with a bracing heat from the pepper base and stewed spinach. It's a great entry point to the bevy of excellent Nigerian soups and stews here. Order it with fufu, which can be used as your edible utensil.
- Westport Cafe & Bar — French onion soup.
- Happy Gillis Cafe + Hangout. The soup selection changes all the time here, so just order whatever Chef Abbey-Jo Eans has on special. Whether it's carrot, squash or chili, it’s all good.
- The Bite — pozole. This traditional Mexican hominy stew comes with a choice of pork, chicken and mushrooms, as well as traditional garnishes. It's one of my favorite versions in town.
- Kobi-Q — kimchi soup. This Korean stew features a spicy broth that is chock-full of aged kimchi, pork, tofu and rice. If you're used to their rice bowls and rice cakes, this is a nice change of pace.
- Extra Virgin — French onion soup. This classically rich beef broth of caramelized onions is served piping hot under a blanket of cheese. It's very worthy of some love.
- Woodyard Bar-B-Que — burnt end chili. This Kansas City classic is so good that it's featured in the book, "500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late."
- Danny Edward’s BBQ — chili. You can only get this Mexican chili on a seasonal basis, but it's worth the effort. In addition to beans, it's filled with tender pork.
- Novel — butternut squash soup. Any seasonal soup that Chef Ryan Brazeal creates here is exceptional, but this is particularly impressive and complex thanks to the addition of jalapeno sauce, cardamom, coconut tapioca and black garlic.
- Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar — crawfish and andouille sausage gumbo. This is thick and satisfying with red & green peppers, long grain rice and preserved okra.
- Gram & Dun — chicken & sausage gumbo.
- Anousone — khao poon. Picture delicious pulled pork and bamboo shoots in a red curry coconut broth alongside a bed of vermicelli noodles, shaved cabbage, long beans, banana blossoms and fresh herbs.
- Sura Noodle Bar — kimchi shin ramyun. This is a standout ramen bowl thanks to homemade pork broth, pork belly, kimchi, shiitake mushrooms, roasted seaweed, chili-sesame oil and a soy-marinated egg. This new pop-up is from the owner of Sura Eats at Parlor.
- Bella Napoli — cacciucco. This Tuscany-style fish stew has shrimp, mussels, clams and octopus, nestled in a spicy tomato broth. For a complete meal, dunk some grilled bread in it.
Listener recommendations:
- Vietnam Cafe — phở bò kho, mi bò kho.
- Baramee Thai Bistro — tom kha soup. I dream of this soup. Get the spring rolls, too.
- Mi Ranchito — tortilla soup.
- Tippin's Pies. Forever a soft spot in my heart for these soups.
- Blue Koi Noodles & Dumplings — pot roast soup.
- Aladdin Cafe — lentil soup.
- Lulu's Thai Noodle Shop — tom kha gai soup.
- Grünauer — goulash. This is so dang good.
- Pho Kim — bún bò hu, mì hoành thánh, xá xíu, phở. The food here is unbelievable.
- Jerusalem Cafe — lentil soup. This is complex and garnished with ground sumac.
- Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que — gumbo.
- Habashi House — lentil soup.
- Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen — gumbo. ALL. DAY.
- Elsa's Ethiopian Restaurant — veggie soup. Great combo of vegetables with fresh tomato flavor.
- Sama Zama — vegetarian ramen, udon hot pot.
- BB's Lawnside Blues & BBQ — burnt end soup.
- Jack Stack BBQ — beef burnt end stew, chicken and white bean chili.
- Mickey's Hideaway — Hungarian mushroom soup. Incredibly flavorful, yet light.
Liz Cook and Mary Bloch joined Brian Ellison on a recent episode of KCUR's Up To Date.
