Review: The Original Soupman

Soup!

Ah man, is it ever the weather for it lately. We have had straight up rain, overcast, very grey days since Sunday morning, and we’re not supposed to see blue skies until Mother’s Day.

It seems rather fitting that we should have sun on Mother’s Day (hurrah!), but in the meantime… enough!

And with the gloomy weather, there has been a chill in the air that won’t quit. Although the 50 degree days are a welcome respite in the Winter, it seriously has me putting on the heat, wearing my not-Uggs boots, and having a chill that I just can’t get rid of.

Which means it’s totally soup weather.

Who would have thought it would be soup weather in May?!

A few months ago, the kind folks at The Original Soupman reached out to me.

“Hi, would you like to try our soup?”

Um, YES?

I love soup. Of all kinds. Perfect tummy-warming food from the inside out, and even better with a grilled cheese sandwich for dunking.

And I have one kid who loves soup just as much. Nick will eat any kind of soup with chicken, or Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar.

Madeline wants no part of any of it.

She’ll come around.

So a huge box of soup arrived on our doorstep and we couldn’t wait to dig in.

Have you heard of The Original Soupman? The brainchild of Al Yegeneh, Soupman opened up shop in 1984.

Before it became a popular running skit on Seinfeld episodes.

His “rules” for ordering and line efficiency are infamous, and only paralleled by the deliciousness of the actual soup he’s serving up. Or, as the New York Times put it, “art, not soup.”

You can order the soup directly from one of their restaurants if you happen to be local one of them (there are 47 different varieties that they run through), or online, or in supermarkets (six varieties available there, which is what we sampled). Oh! You can also buy it from Amazon (who doesn’t love prime shipping?!).

There are several gluten-free soup varieties available, and the Soupman’s site has a handy allergens chart as well.

The first thing I noticed is this is not your usual “just add water or milk” soup. No sir. It is ready to go right from the package, just heat and eat.

And, I’ll admit it, I originally thought the package (at 17 oz) was small and that it wouldn’t be enough for lunch.

And, of course, I was wrong. The box was deceiving.

I don’t know what I was thinking.

And the taste? Man. So good. So very very good.

Between Nick and I, we tried Lentil Soup, Jambalaya Soup, Lobster Bisque, Crab and Corn Chowder, Chicken Gumbo, and Chicken Noodle.

I think we have two cartons leftover, which I am totally rationing.

Nick plowed through the Chicken Noodle in just a few days; despite the fact that it was chock full of vegetables.

My favorite? Hands down, the Lobster Bisque, followed by the Crab and Corn Chowder.

Thick, rich, creamy, full of flavor … and everything you want it to be.

Perfect soup for when you want to reminisce about Seinfeld episodes … or take the chill off a day in May.