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Field Guide to Boston
Soup for you: Boston-area chefs share their go-to soup spots
Nothing beats homemade soup — at least according to Chef Joe Gatto. And the soup that fills up his bowl, and stomach, most often is homemade ramen.
"The reason this is my go-to soup is it's a family favorite," Gatto said. "Everyone in my house loves this soup, and it warms the soul. The key to great ramen is all in the homemade broth."
But sometimes, there just isn’t enough time to make soup from scratch. Don't fret; Boston's restaurant scene offers many good options —especially for pho and ramen.
We asked seven local chefs around Greater Boston what their go-to soup is and where to get it. They ladled out the recommendations (and Gatto is even dishing on his ramen recipe below). Here are the chefs behind the picks:
- Chuck Draghi, executive chef at Alcove
- Tiffani Faison, local celebrity chef and former judge on "Chopped"
- Joe Gatto, Stoneham chef of From Scratch and private culinary instructor
- Seizi Imura, chef at Cafe Sushi Shoten
- Rachel Miller, chef at Nightshade Noodle Bar
- Jeremy Sewall, chef at Row 34
- Kate Smith, chef and owner of Thistle and Leek
From pho to fish chowders, here are the best hot and steamy soups around the Boston area to warm you up this winter:
Ramen from Ganko Ittetsu Ramen
318 Harvard St. #3, Brookline — 617-730-8100
- “I definitely crave ramen sometimes. I love the broth, it’s so savory and comforting… this is perfectly seasoned and so savory.” — Smith
Lobster Bisque from Summer Shack
50 Dalton St., Boston — 617-867-9955
149 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge — 617-520-9500
- “Soup is the perfect way to start a meal, but a lobster bisque is very rich and opens up the pallet.” — Draghi
Clam chowder from Dive Bar
100 High St., Suite 23, Boston — 857-233-2905
- “It’s got a little smoked fish, big juicy clams and a great combination of bacon and brine.” — Faison
Vietnamese chicken noodle soup from Le’s Restaurant
35 Dunster St., Cambridge — 617-864-4100
- “It’s soulful and nourishing in a fun-spirited way.” — Imura
Miso Ramen from Little Big Diner
1247 Centre St., Newton — 857- 404-0068
- “There are a lot of great ramen on the menu, but the Miso ramen is my favorite. Absolutely worth a trip to Newton.” — Sewall
Ribollita soup from Branch Line
321 Arsenal St., Watertown — 617-420-1900
- “Branch Line is going to be putting a ribollita soup on their menu, which had been a special… a perfect winter soup. It’s delicious, full of beans, toasted bread, greens, all simmered in a herbed chicken broth.” — Draghi
Aguadito de Pollo from Rincon Limeño
409 Chelsea St., East Boston — 617-569-4942
260 Broadway, Revere — 781- 284-2670
- “It is simple, very homey… it checks all the boxes of a chicken noodle soup, and I could live off of this soup.” — Miller
French onion soup from Pellana Prime Steakhouse
9R Sylvan St., Peabody — 978-531-4800
- “It is very consistent with a rich flavor and you can tell they put a lot of love into this.” — Miller
Cherrystone clam chowder from Little Whale Oyster Bar
314 Newbury St., Boston — 857-277-0800
- “Love their version of the classic. Not too thick, but has tons of flavor.” — Sewall
Now, for folks who’d like to channel their inner chef, here’s a bonus ramen recipe from Chef Joe Gatto.
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon of fresh garlic minced
- ¼ cup of low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of mirin
- ½ tablespoon of Sriracha
- ½ tablespoon of lime juice
- 5 cups of homemade roasted chicken stock
- Angel hair pasta (amount to your liking, preferably homemade)
- Optional: seared chicken breast sliced, hard-boiled egg, fresh jalapeños, scallions
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir for one minute.
Add the soy sauce, lime juice, Sriracha and mirin, and stir to combine. Simmer for one minute.
Add the homemade stock and bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Add the noodles and cook until tender. Serve in large bowls and top with whatever makes you happy.
