It was nuts inside the Masonic Temple Saturday as the North Soup Bowl Competition swung into overdrive. Blue Shamrock was a no-show, perhaps too much partying the night before, and Mr. Jalapeno was almost down for the count. But an hour and a half into the slurp showdown, the friendly Mexican eatery showed up w/ a vat of delectable seafood stew. Only problem: potatoes the size of iPhones choked more than one judge's throat. Better luck next time Mr. J. Crowd favs were Saints Medical Center's medicinal chicken duchess and Centro's smokey tomato sausage. Richardo's Bolognese soup (the first of its kind ever made, says owner Dick Rourke. We are still checking into this claim) was an ultra-smooth take on an upscale meat-studded Italian staple, and Two Chef's buffalo chix, was an inventive take on an app-turned-liquid. But the Steak Bomb from French's, which judge Dean Johnson rightly proclaimed "was like sipping a sandwich," had people talking in enthused tones. Shaved steak swimming in a hearty broth was a sleeper hit. Who will walk away soup king from Winterfest 09? I have insider knowledge but would probably get hit upside the noggin w/ a ladle if I spill now. Tune into the City Council Tuesday night, or return here Wed. What was your favorite/least of the lot?
Does anyone who braved the hordes think the event has outgrown the venue? I'd like a little more space around my person (enough to swing a cat, sorry Chaucer) so I can raise the spoon to my mouth w/out getting knocked by an excited family from Dracut. High tables here and there would be a welcome respite to this SRO event.
The Buffalo Chicken Soup was the undisputed winner in my group (and it was the only soup that warranted seconds).
Is there any more info about the Great Plates of Downtown Lowell event? I'd love to see some menus but am having a hard time finding anything online...
I think the high top tables are a great idea. Was anoyone left out due to sapce that could have taken the spot of the Blue Shamrock? Saints was my favorite. It is still great fun and good food. It also raises money for a good cause and draws people to the downtown. Saw a few new resturaunts I will try. My friends from out of town were impressesed.
In addition to a larger space for next year's competition, I would like to see maybe a more organized way of getting people from table to table. I saw many tables with long lines and two servers...lots of people didn't know you could form two lines. And the entire thing doesn't seem too wheelchair friendly either.
How about moving the event to the High School next door? Is the gym or cafeteria easily publicly accessible?
High-top tables would be great.
Also, how about giving people a single spoon upon entry? How many tens of thousands of spoons are disposed of after just 2 or 3 tastes of soup? Without the spoons, the trash would then be all paper cups and more easily recycled.
And how about a 'Soups from the North Bowl' Cookbook? I would love to have some of those soups again & again!
Regarding the soups:
I liked the Sweet Potato Chorizo. Undertones of honey, cinnamon, & coriander(?) made this one sublimely sweet & satisfying. Needed a tad more chorizo.
The rest of my party voted for the Saints' Chicken Duchess. I liked it too. It tasted like mac & cheese, without the mac. But I found it ironic that a hospital would serve a soup with so much cheese that it should be served with a side of angioplasty.
At the other end of the spectrum, the heart-healthy Veggie/Bean soup from Lowell General needed salt. Dreadfully bland. I've had tastier colonics. Least Favorite.
My kids, who never dare to approach chowder, had 4 or 5 cups each of the thick Clam Chowder. An obvious hit with them. Both chowders were good in their own way. One was thick, rich, & buttery, the other was thinner in broth but had significantly more clams and clam flavor.
The Sweet Italian Sausage soup was good, as was the Spicy Tomato.
The Steak Bomb was a disappointment to me. It tasted like beef stroganoff without the noodles.
There were some great chilis last year, but none this year. I remember one with some mexican chocolate or mole in it.
I wasn't as impressed with the Buffalo Chicken Soup as others. Maybe it wasn't what I expected it to be, but it just seemed like plain old chicken soup with some wing sauce in it.
I voted for the Sweet Potato and Chorizo soup. Total comfort food type soup. Also enjoyed Centros Creamy Tomato/Sausage and Ricardo's bolognese soups, as well as the Mambo's Chix Tortilla.
I completely agree with the infrastructure problems this year. In years past, people would form lines straight at the tables in a perpendicular fashion. For some reason this year there seemed to be alot of people moving in a clockwise fashion across the front of the tables. Whenever I wanted to try a soup, I felt like I was cutting some neverending line of people coming across from the right.
They definitely need a bigger location, or they need to figure out a better way of managing the influx and flow of people, instead of the free-for-all it has turned into.
Nonetheless, great soups, great time again!
Centro's Tomato was #1 - hands down.
Saint's was second
LGH - terrible...icky, patoooey....
I like the music, too.
I loved Ricardo's as did hubby, but we enjoyed the Chicken Dutchess vry much. There were several this year that were just plain lousy!!! Irish Stew was like dish soap. I've enjoyed other years better than this year. We went Friday night and once again Mr. jalapeno was a no show, as was two others. :-( Maybe they showed up later, we were early. They do need another place, bigger and a better process for flow.
All in all,wouldn't miss it - great way to check out rest. that we don't go to. I loved the clam chowder at Groovy Grub (i'm one who doesn't like the thick chowder).
I guess I shouldn't be surprised people liked the Chicken Dutchess, but to me it tasted like melted butter - and not in a good way.
My favorite was probably the Mambo Grill chicken and chorizo, with Groovy Grub's chowder and Centro's smoky tomato vying for a close second.