October is no doubt my favorite month. Days are crisp and invigorating, with generous washes of sun keeping T-shirts in rotation. Nights hint at winter, prompting hearty braises and soft sweaters. Soup was made for this time of year; it’s warm and nourishing. Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or full meal, check out the spots that serve some of my favorites.
Tom Yum, Aqua
Steeped with lemongrass, this complex Thai classic served at Wash West’s contemporary pastel Southeast Asian spot is at once flowery, spicy and sour. Chili paste at the bowl’s bottom blooms to the soup’s surface like a red tide when tickled with a spoon, igniting breathless "omigods" that leap unexpectedly from diners’ mouths like fireballs from dragons.
Snapper, Bookbinder’s
Velvety, deep and rich, Old Original has been doing this classic recipe since the Rat Pack held court at its tables. Made with tomato, veal bone and–yes–real snapper turtle, the silken soup shimmers like a dark lake and is served the traditional way with a tableside shot of sherry.
Corn, Crab and Ginger, Silk City
You could say this sunflower-yellow bisque embodies the personality of Mark Bee’s revamped Silk City: interesting but familiar, elegant but unpretentious. The lump crab takes a backseat to the earthy sweetness of the corn, clinging to your tastebuds like a vestige of summer. The ginger’s sweet heat lingers on the tongue, balanced by a drizzle of chive oil that offers an emerald, onion-y touch.
Roasted Acorn Squash, Alphabet Soup
So adroit is Jayson Grossberg at crafting captivating soup, he named his whimsical Audubon, N.J., restaurant after it. Served in a mod square bowl, the roasted acorn squash is silky, delicate and the eye-catching orange-amber shade of autumn. More importantly, the soup is not too sweet, as squash/pumpkin/sweet potato soups tend to be. Rather, the balance of natural sugar and cream is right on. Sitting in the middle of the pancetta-studded puree like an island, a plump scallop is perfectly pan-seared.
Pozole Blanco, Acapulco
Heading into Acapulco, the blue-and-white-tiled taqueria on the dilapidated fringe of the Italian Market, is like heading into… well, Acapulco, minus the stunning mountains, azure bay and English-speaking hotel staff. Though you’ll probably be the only gringo ordering the pozole blanco–only available on Thursdays–it’s sure to garner some R-E-S-P-E-C-T from the amigos sitting nearby. Traditional to the Guerrero region of Mexico, this hominy-studded stew of satisfaction is chock full of pork–meat, bone, skin–making for one insanely flavorful soup.
French Onion, Oregon Diner
There’s nothing French about this South Philly diner nestled along the nexus of 95 and 76, but the deeply delicious onion soup is something out of a winter in Paris. The cheese is excessive–just the way I like it–and picking it off the sides of the screaming hot ceramic crock is worth searing off your fingerprints.
AroundPhilly Staff
