Tim’s Taste Buds: Souper Market takes simple soups to new heights

And today I lived well. It may not be boot-season but it is soup season. And with that in mind this week I ventured to The Souper Market with my good friend and associate Antonio Zodda.

When first walking in one might not be completely impressed by its spartan layout. The register and where you order are immediately at the entrance, next to the oddly arranged salad bar setup, and stools are along the windows for eating.

But when you come here you’re not interested in aesthetics, you’re interested in one thing and thing only: soup, and their soup business is booming. Souper Market prides itself on the making of soups all from scratch and with local ingredients.

To properly survey the variety that is offered at the Souper Market, I got Potato Spinach and Swiss, Jambalaya, and Chicken Paprikash. All of their soups come in varying sizes but I recommend the eight ounce for a quick bite ($4 and under) or the 12-ounce if you want something more filling and still affordable. Soups are also served with a daily house-baked bread.

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The creme de la creme of its soups is the thick Chicken Paprikash….It tasted like they kidnapped a Hungarian grandmother.

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The Potato Spinach and Swiss is a creamy and hearty soup, consisting of thick spinach leaves and diced potatoes. It is a vegetarian’s delight and just as enjoyable for a meat-lover like myself. Perhaps the most unique aspect of this potato soup is the added swiss cheese.

The next soup I moved onto was the Jambalaya; tomato-base composed of pulled chicken, chicken andouille (a chicken sausage), and shrimp as well as diced tomatoes and green peppers. This behemoth of delectability is worth at least one purchase. Its spicy flavor is perfect for the season, warming your body while its frigid outside.

The creme de la creme of its soups is the thick Chicken Paprikash. The first spoonful made me only want infinitely more. It tasted like they kidnapped a Hungarian grandmother and had her cook this famous top-seller. Each ingredient, the spaetzle dumplings, the al dente mushrooms, and the perfectly- stringy chicken, not to mention the phenomenal base, all come together in each spoonful.

Souper Market is my top recommendation for eating out after school this winter. It is close to school, has countless warm and hearty soups (including weekly specials), an amazing soundtrack (songs from David Bowie, Pink Floyd, and Van Morrison), all creating an incredibly fulfilling and affordable experience.