On a cold, windy day a hot cup of soup sounds ideal and Simply Soup Co., 116 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., is the perfect place to find it.??
Directly off Capitol Square, Simply Soup Co. provides an extensive array of options to satisfy the strangest of tastes. While they have a repertoire of more than 200 soups, there are 12 different selections made fresh each day ranging from the Creamy Chicken and Broccoli to Jamaican Gumbo to Garlicky Chickpea and Spinach.??
\The gumbo soups are the most popular,"" said Leslie Carey, a server at Simply Soup Co.
Simply Soup Co. is a privately owned restaurant and they pride themselves on the special care they take in making each batch.??Every soup starts with a broth made from water filtered by a special reverse osmosis system to ensure purity and flavor. Then the freshest vegetables and highest quality meats are added to the broth.??Simply Soup does not use any preservatives, additives or MSG.??Finally, each soup is slow-cooked until just right and then quickly chilled to lock the flavor in and make each bowl perfect.
When entering the restaurant, patrons will especially enjoy the atmosphere. Even though the customer orders at the counter in a fast food-type fashion, the space was accommodating and comfortable. On each marble-topped table was a clear vase filled with fresh cut flowers. Single light bulbs with colored shades hang above the tables and seating is abundant at tables as well as at a counter at the window that faces the street.
The soups themselves are as agreeable as the surroundings.?? Each soup comes in one of four different sizes. An eight-ounce cup is a generous portion for a light meal, and a 12 ounce cup is plenty for a hungry appetite.??A choice of warm sourdough or Italian flatbread is the perfect dipping companion for each soup.??The price of $2.90-4.95 for an eight-ounce cup is very reasonable for the amount of food received and well worth it.??
One popular choice, the New England Clam Chowder, was creamy, but not especially rich. It was filled with potatoes, vegetables and small pieces of clam, which was very flavorful without an abundance of saltiness.??
Recommended by the server was a Blueberry Coconut soup with lime that was surprisingly refreshing. It was served cold and tasted like liquid blueberry yogurt with shredded coconut mixed in. The strong flavor of the blueberries was enhanced by the coldness of the soup, and the traces of lime added the slightest tang.??This fruity soup was a delightful change from heavier, conventional soups.??
Regretfully, the Roasted Vegetable Beef soup was not as satisfying as the others in the meal.?? An overwhelming amount of herbs masked the taste of any other flavors. The essence of beef was almost completely lost in the abundance of herbs.
A healthy but satisfying Chunky Chicken Noodle soup was a hearty variation on a traditional recipe.??Filled with elbow noodles, vegetables and just the right mix of herbs, it was a delicious choice.??
At the end of her meal, a UW-Madison student dining in the restaurant remarked, ""The warm atmosphere complimented warm soup.""??
But if just soup is not enough, there are plenty of other options to satisfy a big appetite. A variety of grilled Paninis and fresh salads are enough to fill up the hungriest of people.??If you still have room at the end, there is a variety of desserts including cookies and slices of cake and cheesecake.??
Although the dining experience is pleasurable, the main drawback of Simply Soup Co. is the hours of business.??Weekdays, the restaurant is only open until 6 p.m., which wards off a dinner crowd.'?
""Mostly business and CEO people come during their lunch hours,"" Carey said.??
The distance from campus makes it hard to go there for lunch, but it could be a perfect late afternoon snack or light dinner.
Conscious of the busy schedules of students and business people alike, Simply Soup Co. offers convenient carry-out options.??By phone, fax or accessing their Web site at http://www.simplysoupco.com an order can be ready to pick up.
Other options for diners ""on the go are the frozen soups packed daily in a variety of sizes.??Whether it's to save in the freezer for a night in the future or to get on a busy day, this provides a yummy and nutritious option.
Despite the early hours of business, Simply Soup Co. is an excellent place to find a superior cup of soup. Whether you're looking for the traditional Chicken Noodle or Curried Carrot with Wasabi Cream, they will have a soup for you.'?
