November 10, 2011 - 2:08am
Food Wars: Tomato soup
BY DAILY ARTS STAFF
Panera, 777 North University Ave.
Panera’s tomato soup is pretty tasty overall. You can tell there are real tomatoes in it, and it has an enjoyable zesty flavor. It also comes with croutons, which is awesome — no less and no more. The tomato soup at Panera is definitely a solid choice, rain or shine — plus it only has 300 calories for a large amount of soup. Everybody wins.
Noodles, 320 South State St.
The tomato soup at Noodles is creamy and colored a dark, spaghetti-sauce shade of red. It not only looks like sauce — this “soup” essentially is. It’s very thick, and you can taste the basil (or some herb). It’s the kind of soup served by Polish grandmothers during the colder months, to instill fortitude against influenza. Also, it’s darn tasty.
Zingerman's., 422 Detroit St.
Some tomato soups taste like the inside of a can, but at Zingerman’s, the soup actually tastes like its ingredients. Thick and textured, it’s unabashedly, unashamedly tomato. Try to parse out the herbs or spices in each bite — it’s not too difficult. Best enjoyed with a strong slice of world-famous Zingerman’s bread to dip into it, this is a tomato soup to return to.
Trader Joe's, 2398 East Stadium Blvd.
Trader Joe’s has a deceptive tomato soup, because the one provided at the sample counter is infused with some kind of smoky spice rub and contains kernels of crunchy corn at the bottom. But when you purchase the actual can, hoping to recreate the melty flavor you tasted in the store, the result is overly sweet, kind of bland and overall disappointing.
And the winner is: Zingerman's
Each week, one Ann Arbor staple menu item becomes a battlefield as Daily Arts editors butt heads over which restaurant makes it best. Where should you go for your burger, fro-yo or garden omelette? Daily Arts will fight for the truth.
