Fall Food

Not much to blog about this past week, it's been rainy and I have a sore throat/cough/cold that won't go away.  Since I've been sick, or maybe it's just because tomorrow is the first day of fall and it's been comfortably cooler lately, I have been eating a lot of soup.  Everytime we go out for lunch at work I seem to be inexplicably drawn to the warm and tasty soups on the menu.  Here's my review of some of the best.

Olive Garden's Chicken & Gnocchi:

This soup is delicious.  My co-workers and I love the unlimited soup and salad lunch deal, they just keep bringing you soup, you can even mix and match and eat several different ones.  I don't though.  I stick to this creamy, comforting favorite. 

Chili's Chicken Enchilada:

We eat at Chili's almost once a week because it's close to where I work and it's one of the few places everyone in the office seems to agree on.  I was skeptical at first about ordering this soup because I'm such a whimp when it comes to spicy food, but it's flavorful without being too hot.  It's cheesy, topped with crunchy tortilla chips, and a bowl of this leaves you surprisingly full.

Since we eat at Chili's so often, I can also recommend their baked potato soup, but it is not nearly as good as the one at O'Charley's which sadly we don't have one around here.  That does lead me to my next soup though-

O'Charley's Loaded Baked Potato:

I understand this soup is not a healthy choice.  Actually, I don't think any of the soups I love are considered healthy, but what makes this soup bad is also what makes it so good.  Topped with palette pleasers like bacon, cheese, and sour cream this soup will clog your arteries and fill your belly all at once. Yum.

Another place we unfortunately don't frequent much for lunch (but I sure did keep them in business when I was at my old job) is Panera.  There's not a bad soup on their menu, but I think if I had to pick a favorite it would be-

Panera's French Onion Soup:

Perhaps I'm just a sucker for those toasted, asiago cheese croutons and gooey melted cheese topping, but even without the fancy additions this onion-y beef broth is delicious.  It will ruin your breath, but tastes so satisfying that you won't care.

Asian Wonton Soup:

When I worked in Frankfort we loved going to Thai Smile.  In Columbia, we go to a place called Fusion Bowl which serves a mix of several Asian cuisines.  Both places offer a small soup appetizer, a tangy broth with one or two wontons in it.  Last week when my sore throat started we were there for lunch and I ordered the lunch portion soup instead of just the tiny complimentary starter.  When you're sick, a steaming bowl of chicken broth really does make you feel better.

We do eat out a lot, but when I'm working through lunch I have my desk drawer stocked with Campbell's Soup at Hand to heat up.  This week I found a new flavor, and it's very good-

Campbell's Creamy Tomato Parmesan Bisque

You can't beat the convenience and price for one of these, but I do find the ones with noodles, veggies, or meat in them are rather difficult to sip through the opening.  I stick to the regular tomato, creamy tomato, and now this new flavor instead.  A Soup at Hand and a sandwich from home make the perfect eat-at-your-desk lunch break.

All this discussion of soups and the restaurants I go to for lunch to get them is making me hungry.  Maybe this weekend I'll make the winning combo of grilled cheese and tomato soup for a bit of fall comfort.  I found this on Paninihappy.com and must say I think it's a genius idea to cut up mini grilled cheese crouton bites:

Any suggestions for scrumptious soups I left off my list?  What other chain restaurants do I need to add to our work lunch rotation to satisfy my soup obsession?  Send me your ideas and happy lunching!