Last week I published a blog post about an object of my affection: a steaming bowl of seafood laden soup from Veracruz Cafe. In the comments, CitizenKane seemed just as smitten, and asked about other bowls of soups and stews that were worth checking out. Since the mercury is rising, and soup may no longer be in fashion again till fall, I thought I'd compile my favorite bowls in no particular order. Get yours before it's hot.
Tei-An's Ramen (pictured above) It's still my favorite. Tei-an's ramen was a simple and delicately prepared bowl of soup. It was poetic, and as I type this I'm tempted to alter my lunch plans for the next few days. I'm even tempted to have a second lunch.
Cuquita's Pozole Loaded with hominy and huge hunks of tender pork, Cuquita's pozole needed a little salt, but that error didn't stop me from craving spoonful after spoonful. It came with a bowl of onions and limes and cold, crunchy cabbage for garnishing and was more than worth the drive to Farmer's Branch.
Korea House's Spicy Fish Soup Hangovers beware: this bowl packs a serious punch. You may encounter a bone or two (it's a rustic stew), so eat carefully, but make sure you indulge all the delicious condiments the wait staff serves alongside the bowl. From pickled radishes to pickled fishes, every bite is a unique and interesting experience.
Lemongrass' Pho If only this bowl had a little more Vietnam in it. The broth is exquisite, light and beefy, though the cinnamon and other sweet spices are strong. The thinly sliced raw beef is a pleasure to slide in your bowl and watch gently simmer in the steaming broth. And at lunch an order comes with a nice chicken salad plate, and a peeled orange when you're finished. The only thing missing is the tripe, tendon and other rustic cuts that give great pho its character. I still think it may be Dallas' best Pho that's reasonably close to the city center.
Veracruz Cafe's Sopa de Atlahua I'm not sure what else I can say. I ate this soup on Tuesday, wrote about it on Thursday and still this week it sits at the very front of my mind. Veracruz Cafe's fish stew was good enough to set off this whole thing, I can't wait to order another bowl.
