Yeah, Soup Nazi. That Gets Funnier Every Time I Hear it
Written: Oct 23 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Soup is good food
Cons: One employee has a seriously freaky looking bobble-head that kinda puts me off.
The Bottom Line: Go eat somewhere else, man. In less than a month, the lines at the one near me have gotten way too long.
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| Mr.Eyore's Full Review: San Francisco Soup Company |
The San Francisco Soup Company is a relatively new kid on the block – well, my block at least. But I think they’re a new company, and they appear to be doing as well as they deserve, having recently expanded to a second location a mere block and a half-from their outpost in the tony Crocker Galleria downtown.
I suspect it’s the obvious similarity between the S.F. Soup Company and Seinfeld’s infamous Soup Nazi that drives the costumer service orientation of the place: You won’t find a happier, friendlier, louder group of service folk outside of The Mustang Ranch on “No Smelly Guys” night. They’re fast and efficient, and quick with the recommendations. It’s a nice touch, and an obvious indication of the management’s quality, which could easily choose to askew this ethic in favor of employing miscreants with a limited work vocabulary of: “Next!”
And you know what? They could probably get away with it if they chose to hire and retain such miscreants. The soup is very, very good, and the prices are reasonable considering the quality. Most of the folks who stop in to pick up lunch there would likely return regularly regardless of the quality of the service. This is particularly so given the fact that there is really noplace to sit and eat at either of their stores. It’s a to-go restaurant, and most people simply won’t care about service when they aren’t dealing with a waiter and they’re not looking around for their next water refill.
the soups
At least half the time, I get the Mexican Tortilla Soup, which appears to be San Francisco Soup Company’s most popular item. It is a creamy, fresh tomato broth studded with tender chunks of white meat chicken, topped with blue corn tortilla chips, cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.
Their Chicken Pot Pie soup is equally delicious: Just a big heaping bowl of the creamy, chunky filling you’d expect to find in a chicken pot pie, but without all that burnt crust you get on those Swanson teevee dinners. And they plop a little puff-pastry ball on top of it too.
Every time in the past year that I’ve felt even the slightest tinge of illness, I’ve stopped in for some of their Grandma Mary’s Chicken Soup. The stuff is legit Jewish penicillin, with noodles and carrots and tender chicken and soft celery and all the good stuff you need when you just know your throat’s gonna be killing tomorrow. I don’t know why, but this stuff manages to make me break a sweat and avoid the big sick almost every time I’ve had it. I’ve had one sick day from work in the year since I discovered the Soup Company, and to be honest, that was just ‘cause my girlfriend stayed in town an extra day, and mornin’ nookie sounded better than avoiding mobster clients.
There are about a dozen other regular soups on the menu, ranging from potato/corn chowder, mulligatawny, clam chowder, a fantastic cream of broccoli and cheddar, carrot and ginger, butternut squash, and smoky split pea with ham.
San Francisco Soup Company offers an additional menu of 5 or 6 daily specials, ranging from Chicken Gumbo to Curried somethingorother to Gezpacho to West African Chicken and Peanut. I’ve tasted a few of ‘em, and they’re always about as great as the regular menu items. Today, as soon as I finish writing this thing, I’ll be heading over there to try the Shrimp Bisque.
[Oh yeah, that was pretty good, though a little on the sweet side, and I’m not really sure how I feel about the little chunks of zucchini and corn. Decent little shrimps in there. But sure, I guess I’d eat it again.]
You can order the soups in 3 sizes, and they cost, depending on the soup, around, 3 bucks, 5 bucks and 7 bucks. Usually the 5 buck is plenty for me. They all come with a nice fat slice of crusty bread, and for a few bucks more, you can get a half sandwich. The sandwiches are pre-made of focaccia, and there are usually only 4 choices: a veggie and a turkey and pesto thing, and a tuna salad or egg salad. The sandwiches are only fair, and I can’t really recommend them, even for under three bucks.
Both locations also sell Krispy Kreme donuts for like a buck, just glazed I think. But I’m not really a donut guy, and I’ve never really gotten the whole Krispy Kreme thing, so I can’t really report on their freshness or anything.
In conclusion, if you work in downtown San Francisco, or even if you’re just shopping in Union Square, I really think it’s worth the short hike over to either of the San Francisco Soup Company outlets in the Financial District (one in Crocker Galleria, one in the Russ Building near Montgomery and Bush). It’s really a fine lunch, and the folks who run the place deserve the success they’re having.
Recommended:
Yes
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Mr.Eyore
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I come for the pervasive sense of elitist self-importance and semi-witty expressions of faux camaraderie
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