Spoons and Thumbs (both up)

I don’t know about you…

… but I can’t think of a better way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon than meandering down Carson Street and enjoying some unique soups and good conversation.

Well.  Maybe diving through a pile of gold coins like Scrooge McDuck – but that’s a rant for another time (note to self: write out “Wolverine’s Regenerative Powers Required for coin-swimming like Scrooge McDuck” theory)

Anyway – SOUP.   Yes!

This afternoon was the 7th Annual South Side Soup Contest and we took that sonofabitch by storm.  After a brief politico and pretzel pit-stop, we made it through the check-in line which took almost as long as waiting to ride the Gemini.  Our day’s adventure begun at REI Outdoor with what was unknowingly one of my favorite soups of the day – Cheddar Peddlar Brewhaha courtesy of Over the Bar Bicycle Cafe (2518 East Carson).  Made with beer and cheese, it was a delicious way to start out our trek.

By no means am I going to write about every offering of the afternoon, but here are some highlights, along with where you can find them on the South Side.

• Smoked Chicken Chowder from Tusca (2773 Sidney Street)
• Jamaican Pepper Pot from Double Wide Grill (2339 East Carson Street)
• Vodka Bloody Mary Crab Gazpacho from District Three (2009 East Carson; apparently the Town Tavern closed. WIN for society!!)
• Pork Wonton Soup from Lin’s Asian Fusion (coming soon to 2018 East Carson)
• Maple Pumpkin Goat Cheese Bisque from the Beehive (1327 East Carson Street)

There were several others that were promising, but those were the most appealing and interesting in my opinion.  The biggest win, though, surprisingly came from Mario’s South Side Saloon (1514 East Carson Street) with an awesome Chorizo Corn & Black Bean Soup.  Beating out some of the more notable eateries on Carson Street, I never would’ve expected the establishment known for being way too crowded and full of collars desperately in need of de-popping could crank out such tastiness.

I’ve dined there before with pleasant results, but I was definitely very surprised with what they brought to the table – and served into biodegradable shot-glass-sized cups (another cool thing about this event as a whole).  Maybe it would also go well mixed with Jager and Redbull, broseph?  The world may never know.  At least, I hope not.

The contest ended in the mid-afternoon with ballots due for submission by 2:45.  Voting consisted of three categories – Best Overall, Best Vegetarian offering and Most Creative.  Here’s how my ballot looked:

• Best Soup – Mario’s Chorizo Corn & Black Bean
• Best Vegetarian – OTB’s Cheddar Peddlar Brewhaha
• Most Creative – District Three’s Vodka Bloody Mary Crab Gazpacho

As I was writing this, the official results were also announced:

• Best Soup – Yo Rita’s Parsnip Soup
• Runner up – Mario’s Saloon’s Chorizo Corn and Black Bean Soup
• Best Vegetarian – Over The Bar Bicycle Cafe’s Cheddar Peddlar Brewhaha
• Most Creative – Cafe du Jour’s Cool Ham Jook

If you were a part of the day’s festivities, what were your faves?