38 of 50 “Tastiest” Soups in NYC – Alfanoose’s Red Lentil Soup: As Flimsy As Its “Dinnerware”

MY TASTEFUL OPINION:  Someone who really knows lentil soups please tell me why this was deemed top notch.

The Red Lentil Soup ($3.50) at Alfanoose looked unappealing sitting in a flimsy white plastic bowl, and I had hoped it wasn’t a sign of what was to come.  Unfortunately, it was.  I went from one extreme at Dovetail to another at this super casual, nearly buffet-style Middle Eastern restaurant.  The website is a bit deceiving, making it look like you were going to be in somewhat of a fine-dining atmosphere (Exhibit A – http://www.alfanoose.com/).

But I wasn’t going to judge a soup by its presentation, so I dug in with the flimsy white plastic spoon.  Had I loved the soup, I would’ve been pissed about the cheap utensil.  I could barely get a drop onto it, which made it even less enjoyable to eat.  Luckily for me, I didn’t care for the much-too-lemony flavor.

Alfanoose's Red Lentil Soup

To overcome the plainness and mouth-puckering effect, eating it with all the extras (rice-and-lentil mojadara + fried onion + hot sauce), which is supposedly how the chef/owner eats it, may have done some good…only with a proper spoon, though.  Too bad I was never asked if I wanted any of those extras.

EW’s brown version was just slightly better, in my opinion (this is

Alfanoose's Brown Lentil Soup

opposite of what NY mag declared).  Could’ve been the cilantro that did it for me, but it was still not something I would ever order again.

Honestly, I don’t know what the magazine was thinking…

Alfanoose
8 Maiden Lane (btwn Broadway and Nassau)
New York, NY 10038
212.528.4669
http://www.alfanoose.com/

—–

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!