Warming Up as the Weather Cools Down
There’s nothing quite like a piping hot bowl of soup to warm you up on a cold winter day. Whether it’s ramen, pho, chowder or good old chicken noodle, soup is the answer to winter’s long chilly nights. Forget sweater weather, I’m ready for soup weather.
Duck soup at Chinatown Express (Photo: Lanna Nguyen/DC on Heels)
Chinatown Express: If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by for their duck soup with freshly made noodles. It doesn’t get more authentic than the chef pulling noodles in the front window. Don’t be scared by the less than impressive interior, the duck soup more than makes up for the lack of décor. It’s been named a must eat dish by numerous Washington papers and food outlets.
D.C. Noodles: This U Street eatery specializes in…you guessed it, noodles. Perfect for the picky eater types, build your own soup bowls by choosing a broth (spicy, clear or spicy ginger), noodle type (wide rice, egg, thin rice or rice vermicelli) and protein (chicken, pork, tofu, beef, shrimp or seafood).
Spicy miso ramen from Daikaya (Photo: Lanna Nguyen/DC on Heels)
Daikaya: Stop in for a bowl of ramen, served only on the first floor of this Chinatown restaurant. They offer five variations, including a vegetable ramen, and have an extensive list of “extras” to add on top of the already generous portions. Try my personal favorite, the spicy miso, but be ready to work up a sweat.
Soup Up D.C.: Head to Union Market to sample a variety of healthy and hearty soups. All of their 150+ soups are made without dairy, butter or oil and are also free of additives and preservatives. Vegan soups include apple butternut, creamy lentil, pumpkin coconut and roasted carrot. Check out the weekly menu to see what they’re serving up each day.
Pho Duong: I have a confession to make: I have yet to eat a bowl of pho within the city limits. Since I have no experience with D.C. pho, I can only recommend the place my family has been going to for years whenever we crave the ultimate cold weather comfort dish. Bowls are loaded with the different cuts of meat and the broth is super flavorful. The catch? You have to travel to Centreville.
