According to my entire Facebook feed and Pete Delkus, it's really effing cold outside in Dallas right now. I cannot confirm this as fact because I am not leaving my house until Mother Nature gets her shit together and returns us to those beautiful 75-degree temperatures she teased us with this weekend.
Practically the only thing for which I could convince myself to leave the warmth of my apartment is a delicious bowl of soup. There are, of course, other comfort foods, but nothing takes away the chill of 20-degree temperatures like soup. If you feel like braving the weather (or you're completely out of groceries), safely navigate the roads for these six steamy bowls.
1. Highland Park Soda Fountain (above) Highland Park Soda Fountain is like a really tiny time machine, and the tomato basil soup here is ten times better than that Campbell's crap from a can that you'd normally be eating. Get a grilled cheese and an egg cream on the side to round out your warm and toasty dose of nostalgia.
2. Bangkok City Scott Reitz already told you guys where to find great ramen and pho, but he didn't include my very favorite Asian soup: tom kha gai. Tom kha is perfect year round, but it's especially good when you're frozen. Bangkok City's coconut milk-based broth is perfectly spicy with a lot of Thai chilis, heavy kaffir lime notes, and a heaping helping of your protein of choice. Add a side of steamed rice to help you sustain your energy as you try to scrape all that icy nonsense off the windshield.
3. Greenz Normal people eat chicken noodle soup when they're cold, but we're Texans, man. We need something that isn't bland and boring, and that's where chicken enchilada soup from Greenz comes in. Chicken enchilada soup is a creamy and hearty riff on a traditional tortilla soup, and comes topped with a corn salsa that adds plenty of heat. Pro tip: ask for a side of avocado as a mix-in for even more creamy goodness.
4. Daddy Jack's For East Coast transplants, a bowl of chowdah is a hankering that must be tended to immediately. Daddy Jack's on Lower Greenville is my favorite place for a bowl of clam chowder, simply because they stick to the script and create a straightforward chowder with no annoying trendy additions. Pair a cup of the chowder with Daddy Jack's steamed clams and it's like a food sauna for your soul. It's the warmest you're going to be all week.
5. Cindi's NY Deli Matzo ball soup is another of those cravings that has to be solved post-haste. Look no further than Cindi's NY Deli on North Central Expressway in Dallas for a bowl of comforting matzo balls in a rich broth. This weather has probably wreaked havoc on your immune system, and these matzo balls will cure whatever death flu you've contracted. If matzo isn't your thing, the chicken and barley soup is just as good.
6. Holy Grail Pub Drinking away your sorrows is a perfectly acceptable response to nightmarish winter weather. Kill two birds with one delicious stone and head to Plano's Holy Grail Pub for a big bowl of cheddar cheese soup that's been infused with a heaping slosh of bock and delicious crispy bacon. In fact, ask for a bucket and an extra few loaves of that sourdough bread. Sure it's a lot of carbs, but you need the calories to stay warm, bro.
