MY TASTEFUL OPINION: It should be a sin to charge $15 on a bowl of soup that doesn’t deliver on taste, regardless of its size.
I’m WAY behind in my blogging. Thirteen entries to write. I’ve clearly been good about the eating part. Thirteen soups in two weeks = crazy town. Let’s not waste anymore time…
I’d been trying to go to Shopsin’s a few times, but it never happened due to their early closing hours (2 or 3pm Wed-Sun). I’m either at work, which is too far away, or I’m sleeping in on the weekends.
Finally, after realizing I only had a couple weeks left to eat my way through the list, I went during my lunch hour one day.
Shopsin's Chicken Tortilla Avocado Soup
When I first saw “Chicken Tortilla Avocado Soup” ($15) on the list, I couldn’t wait to try it. I love tortilla soup. But this one fell short. Fresh, browned chicken chunks were thrown in with a mish-mosh of sporadic items: a seemingly whole head of browned cabbage which were cut into huge shreds that made it difficult to eat; onions; avocado chunks; big yellow, barley- and corn-like kernels (aka hominy); black beans; cilantro; celery; and other leafy greens. The big tortilla chips that layered the bottom were as hidden as the level 3 spiciness that I had requested (on a scale of 1 to 6, with 6 being the spiciest and most popular). And the entire thing needed a boost of salt.
This photo doesn't accurately show how gigantic the bowl was.
Overall, the taste was almost as bland as the earthy tones of the ingredients, and there was just way too much going on, as if they threw all of their leftovers from the pantry into the pot. But I didn’t hate it and enjoyed it as my “free” dinner, after upping the sodium levels.
The highlights were the bright blue of the actual bowl, the cute older chef who wore suspenders with a tshirt, glasses and army green train conductor hat, the other spunky chef who was a clear Mets fan, and the yummy free sweet treats from a local bakery that they let you pick out of a box.
Even though they give you enough soup to share between two to three people, the $15 wasn’t worth it.
Shopsin’s
120 Essex Street
New York, NY 10002
http://www.shopsins.com/
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Over $10 – These soups should have a gold leaf in them.
$6 to $10 – You’re not shellin’ out the gold, but also not gettin’ super lucky.
Under $6 – It’s your lucky day!
Tynee's SOUPer Journey 