You have to get the menu of the monthly soups from Berrybrook Farms, a small natural food store with an even smaller kitchen. The problem with obsessing over your favorite soup here — in my case their West African Peanut soup — is it only may be scheduled for a singular monthly appearance. Soups range from chicken-less noodle to Bilbo’s Underground Stew (getting the feel for the place?). In addition to the scheduled soup, another is offered as the chef’s choice. All soups are dairy-free and wheat-free unless it’s noted and are served from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Berrybrook Farms, 1257 East Blvd., 704-334-6528
One of the favorites of longtime — and the 12 (don’t write in — I’m kidding) native — Charlotteans is Lupie’s, and her outrageous vegetarian chili served with finger-snapping hot cornbread. Of course, she also serves Texas chili with no tomatoes and lots of spice (you can add beans if you want), and that uniquely flavored cinnamon Cincinnati Chili served over spaghetti.
Lupie’s Café, 2718 Monroe Road, 704-374-1232
Phö is one of the superlative soups for winter — even though the Vietnamese eat it year-round for breakfast. Although most restaurants don’t tell you about the regional differences, phö is either northern Vietnamese style (more velvety) or southern Vietnamese (spunky). To this base you add rice noodles and beef, then doctor the soup to individual taste: a spritz of lime, sprigs of holy basil, crunchy bean sprouts, a splash of nouc mam, and a squirt of Sriracha — that’s the chili sauce with the rooster on the bottle. Soup’s on.
Phö Real Vietnamese Restaurant, 440 E. McCullough Drive, 704-717-2500
I know some people have Restaurant I pegged as the “expensive” Japanese restaurant; however, while high quality ingredients have an associated cost, the truth is at Restaurant I you get better quality for around town prices. Take their delicious miso soup. At lunch it’s only $2 and at dinner only $3.50. The secret to this soup? Chef Massa uses his densely flavored stock. Delicious.
Restaurant I, 1524 East Blvd., 704-333-8118
The Gaeng Panang curry at Thai Thai Takeout has diver-sized scallops in a spicy coconut cream sauce made fragrant with basil leaves and lemongrass. If that doesn’t keep you warm, nothing will. Spice it up and the heat will diminish amidst the cream sauce — and an icy cold beer.
Thai Thai Takeout, 1412-C E. Blvd., Dilworth Garden Shopping Center, 704-347-8886
Addie’s curry goat and her brown stew chicken — a tender-to-the-bone Caribbean version of Southern smothered chicken, has a gravy redolent with spices. All her sauces are a must dunk for her outstanding coco bread. In fact, forget spoons and sop up everything with the bread.
Addie’s Jamaican Cuisine, 3116 North Davidson St., 704-331-0047.
This article appears in Jan 24-30, 2007.
