Winterfest’s soup bowl competition is upon us. For a few bucks we can sample soup from a caldron of 16 rests. in the MV, Fri. night and Sat. I've been a judge for the last few yrs. and really got to know the soups in our midst. Like a wine tasting, you can go from booth to booth savoring the flavors and pontificate w/ the artisans who made it. Last year I learned that the Gazebo Cafe ( a noteable no-show this yr.) adds chocolate into its chili. This yr. Sangrias and Hookslide Kelly's will duke it our for best chili. The Old Court's chicken and bacon corn chowder has my vote, but I've been lovin' Centro’s soups, so their sausage, apple veg entry could be a runaway winner. Cobblestones, always a renegade here (remember the pomegranate Iraq soup?) is doing Brazilian chicken and yucca soup. I like it.
This is also a chance to try newcomer Mr. Jalapeno’s Azteca soup. The Merrimack tacoria is set to open this weekend. But I would be remiss (and probably dissed) if I failed to mention the Mambo Grill. Their pumpkin soup (pix above) won first place the first yr. they entered. This yr. they tout roasted red pepper and corn chowder. Interesting combo. Would go down nicely w/ a cerveza, si?
Longtime winner Ricardo’s Cafe Trattoria will tempt w/ chicken parmesan soup. Could be good.
Boston chef and Lowell homeboy Robert Jean (of Teatro and Sorelina fame), What's Cookin' in the Mill City host Bridget Driscoll and radio shock jock Jack Baldwin from WCAP will judge.
The Masonic Temple is the place, Friday 7-9 p.m. and Saturday, 1-4 p.m.