Soup Diary 120127

I'm happy to report that my last cup of soup on my current travels turned out to be the best cup of soup encountered on the entire trip. It was Chicken Poblano at the Grapevine Restaurant, a favorite spot. In fact, going in I anticipated ordering the French Onion Soup, a reliable standby, but when I heard the server utter the word "poblano," I knew I had to try it. The reason for that is that several years back, it was a cup of Sweet Potato Poblano Soup at Fables Cafe that registered as perhaps my all-time favorite, though I'm willing to consider the possibility that it's exquisite flavor has been enhanced by memory and perhaps a little wishful thinking. Nonetheless, in all the time since, it wasn't until this week that I came across another soup that shared the Poblano name, and so I had to try it. It did not disappoint-- a nice creamy, peppery broth with chunks of chicken, black beans, I think some celery and very tiny shards of the titular poblano chiles. It was outstanding. So now, the bar of excellence has been re-established (or re-affirmed-- I think this experience proved that my memories of the sweet potato variety were in fact accurate), as I set out on the next stage of my soup tasting mission.