By Abby Wargo
Elm Staff Writer
Last week, I searched Chestertown for the best soups available. I visited Washington College’s Dining Services in Hodson Hall, the Lemon Leaf Café and Café Sado. Each soup I tried had different flavors, demonstrating the variety of options students have.
I tried chicken noodle, which they serve almost every day near the salad bar. On this particular day, it was mostly broth, with little to no meat and noodles. There were large carrot chunks, and they seemed too large and not soft enough to be in a soup. There were also pieces of thinly sliced celery.
If it were not for the pepper, then the soup would have been even more boring and bland. This soup was a two and a half out of five. Unfortunately, this is the only chicken noodle soup that is served on a regular basis in the area.
Next, I visited the Lemon Leaf Café located at 337 High St.. According to the menu, their cream of crab soup has won an award at the Maryland Seafood Festival. The presentation was appealing; I was given a small cup with a saucer filled with the soup, and sprinkled with Old Bay seasoning and some chopped parsley. The cup seemed small, but it was more than enough.
The soup was creamy and rich, and each spoonful packed a lot of flavor. The crab meat was chopped finely enough that the soup wasn’t chunky, and the Old Bay didn’t overpower the soup as it sometimes can. Overall, it was a great savory soup that perfectly encapsulated the spirit of the Eastern Shore. I would highly recommend it, and a cup only costs $6.50. On a five-point scale, this soup earns a rating of four and a half.
The last soup I tried was drastically different from the first two. Café Sado, located at 870 High St., serves authentic Thai cuisine and sushi. I ordered Miso soup, which is a traditional Japanese soup. The Sado version includes tofu, wakame (seaweed), and scallion (green onion).
It was a great way to start off my meal because I also ordered sushi while I was there. It was also cost-effective, costing only $3. I enjoyed the soup, and I was excited to find a restaurant that is culturally diverse in Chestertown. On a five-point scale, I would give it a solid three.
These are not the only soup options in Chestertown; the Fish Whistle restaurant also serves cream of crab and French onion. Happy eating, Goose Nation.