YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES
Pack your spoon and get ready to slurp. It's time to warm up with a big bowl of soup from somewhere exotic. And you won't even need your passport.
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.
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