The world according to soup

Soup lovers, the world is at your doorstep! From Cambodian tam yam to Ghanian peanut butter soup to Ukrainian borscht, the restaurants of the Twin Cities area offer a global selection of winter warmers. We couldn't list all of the world's soups that are available or list all of the restaurants that serve them. But here's a sampling of some of the tastiest meals in a bowl. You won't find all of the varieties of soup I mention in every one of the restaurants listed for that country, but you can expect to find a good variety.

Cambodia

You can taste the proximity to Thailand and Vietnam in soups such as hot and sour tam yam; saramann beef curry soup with coconut milk, peanuts and kaffir lime, and machu Angkor, a traditional sour soup made with winter squash, pineapple, tomato and fresh herbs.

Cheng Heng, 448 W. University Av., St. Paul; 651-222-5577.

Kolap Restaurant, 601 N. Dale St., St. Paul; 651-222-2488.

China

Wonton soup is the most famous, but the world's most populous nation has a tremendous range, from beef brisket noodle (my favorite) and congee (rice porridge) with pork and thousand-year-old egg to such exotic banquet fare as shark's fin and bird's nest soups.

Hong Kong Noodle, 901 Washington Av. SE., Minneapolis; 612-379-9472.

Mandarin Kitchen, 8766 Lyndale Ave. S., Bloomington; 952-884-5356.

Rainbow Chinese Restaurant, 2739 Nicollet Av., Minneapolis; 612-870-7084.

Seafood Palace, 2523 Nicollet Av. S., Minneapolis; 612-874-7721.

Village Wok, 610 Washington Av. SE., Minneapolis; 612-331-9041.

Yummy, 2450 Nicollet Av. S., Minneapolis; 612-870-8000.

Ecuador

Caldo de bagra combines catfish, yucca and plantains -- but watch out for the bones! Other offerings include seafood, chicken and cow's foot soups.

Guayaquil Restaurant, 1526 E. Lake St., Minneapolis; 612-722-2344.

France

Potages are puréed, while soupes are chunky, but the greatest French soup of them all is bouillabaisse, the Mediterranean seafood chowder.

La Belle Vie, 510 Groveland, Minneapolis; 612-874-6440.

La Fougasse, 5601 W. 78th St., Bloomington; 952-835-0126.

Germany

Lentil with ham or sausage is typical of the hearty soups served in Germany, where a bowl of suppe with thickly sliced rye is hearty enough for supper.

The Black Forest, 1 E. 26th St., Minneapolis; 612-872-0812.

Ghana

The West African ancestry of Creole gumbos can be seen in savory soups made with okra, pepper, palm butter and peanut butter.

Kenkayba's Place, 864 University Av., St. Paul; 651-762-9451.

Hmong

Golden Triangle Hmong Restaurant, 371 W. University Av., St. Paul; 651-602-0602.

Jewish

Originally from Eastern Europe, traditional Jewish soups include matzoh ball soup, borscht (with beets and cabbage) and chicken soup with noodles or kreplach (Jewish wontons), and sometimes referred to as Jewish penicillin.

Brothers Deli, 50 S. 6th St., Minneapolis; 612-341-8007.

Cecil's Deli, 651 S. Cleveland Av., St. Paul; 651-698-0334.

Crossroads Deli, 2795 Hedberg Dr., Minnetonka; 952-546-6595.

Japan

Noodle soups are popular -- especially those made with thick soba (buckwheat) and udon (wheat flour) noodles, in soup stocks (dashi) made from seaweed, fish flakes or mushrooms.

Fuji-ya, 600 W. Lake St., Minneapolis; 612-871-4055.

Midori's Floating World Cafe, 3011 27th Av. S., Minneapolis; 612-721-3011.

Origami, 12401 Wayzata Blvd. (in Ridgedale Mall), Minnetonka, 952-746-3398, and 330 N. 1st St., Minneapolis, 612-333-8430.

Sakura, 350 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-224-0185.

Tanpopo Noodle Shop, 308 Prince St., St. Paul; 651-209-6527.

Korea

Kimchi chigae, made with pickled cabbage, pork and tofu, is hot and spicy, and so is the classic seafood noodle soup chop tang. For something milder, try galbitang, a hearty soup of shredded beef, tofu, egg drop and onion in a hearty beef broth. Or haemul jigae, a seafood soup of shrimp, squid, mussels and clams in a fiery red fish stock.

Hoban, 1989 Silver Bell Rd., Eagan; 651-688-3447.

King's Fine Korean Cuisine, 1051 E. Moore Lake Rd., Fridley; 763-571-7256.

Kum Gang San, 694 N. Snelling Av., St. Paul; 651-645-2000.

Mirror of Korea, 761 N. Snelling Av., St. Paul; 651-647-9004.

Mexico

Caldo de res is a hearty beef stew with potatoes, carrots and corn, while Siete Mares (seven seas) is a seafood lover's dream: crab legs, shrimp, mussels, octopus and squid in a spicy broth. And don't forget menudo (tripe soup), the classic Mexican hangover cure.

La Perla del Pacifico, 6009 Nicollet Av. S., Minneapolis; 612-869-5358.

Pancho Villa Restaurant, 2539 Nicollet Av. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-7014.

Peru

For seafood lovers, parihuela is just about the ultimate: crab legs, shrimp, squid, clams, mussels and halibut in a spicy but not overpowering broth. For something simpler, try the chupe de camarones, a simple porridge of rice, shrimp, peas and corn.

Machu Picchu, 2940 Lyndale Av. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-2125.

Thailand

At its best, tom yum soup is one of the world's great culinary experiences: a harmonious blending of hot and sour, with the pungent flavors of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf.

Ruam Mit Thai Cafe, 473 St. Peter St., St. Paul, 651-290-0067.

Sawatdee, 607 Washington Av. S., Minneapolis, 612-338-6451, and several other locations.

Taste of Thailand, 1669 Selby Av., St. Paul, 651-644-3997, and several other locations.

True Thai, 2627 E. Franklin Av., Minneapolis; 612-375-9942.

Ukraine

When the winds blow hard against the tundra, a hearty bowl of beefy beet and cabbage borscht isn't just nourishment, it's ballast. Don't forget the dollop of sour cream.

Kramarczuk Eastern Euro- pean Deli, 215 E. Hennepin Av., Minneapolis; 612-379-3018.

Vietnam

Vietnam's most famous soups are pho (beef noodle) and hu tieu (seafood noodle), but others worth exploring include bun bo hue (spicy beef) and lau thap cam, a cook-it-yourself hot pot.

Mai Village, 394 W. University Av., St. Paul; 651-290-2585.

Pho Tau Bay, 2837 Nicollet Av. S., Minneapolis; 612-874-6030.

Quang Restaurant, 2719 Nicollet Av. S., Minneapolis; 612-870-4739.

Trieu Chau, 823 W. University Av., St. Paul; 651-291-2661.

Pho Ca-Dao, 439 W. University Av., St. Paul; 651-222-4615.

Jeremy Iggers • 612-673-4524