Eat Your Soup in the Rain, with Friends

Did You Know? The Washington Commanders are going to the NFC Championship game for the first time in 33 years after defeating the Detroit Lions 45-31 on Saturday night. HAIL!

This gloomy, wet Saturday began with soup and a stroll, Rahway’s Soup Stroll to be exact. The Pear Tree Project partook in this culinary delight and enjoyed interacting with vendors and travelers alike.

Cup #1 Cubanu – To start, a rather unorthodox approach to split pea, provided by our friends, from the caribbean. This version included carrots, a remarkably thin broth, and was flavorful. Delicioso!

Cup #2 Hugo’s – This Peruvian offering packed a punch! For those who like it hot, it was not a disappointment. The spices were our call to battle the elements of the weather, and press onward, to the third!

Cup #3 Fork – A beautifully designed “Modern American” establishment served pasta fagioli.

(She Said) ~ “Yummolicious.”

(He Said) ~ “Ehhh, I’ve had better.”

Cup #4 Luciano’s – Although the white bean and spinach puree left much to be desired, this locale was the perfect choice for the celebratory lunch and libations, TPTP’s staff devoured to close the day. Bravo!

Cup #5 La ChulaTex-Mex – Here, we encountered an impressively balanced squash chowder rich in essence, vibrant in appearance, and pleasing on the palate. We chose this spot to rest our feet and dry off, as we reveled in a modern piece of art honoring Frida Kahlo. 

(He Said) ~ “Du Jour, Du Jour Du Jour – mmmmmm, this is my favorite.”

(She Said) ~ “Oh – this is gooood.”

Cup #6 Sub House 85 – Here, there was no soup. But, they did prepare a nice turkey sandwich with all the fixins! Since our chief pear officer is a vegetarian, she spent the time admiring all the creative caricatures  adorning the walls. 

Cup #7 The Irving Social – Having partaken in their cuisine previously, this concoction was not reflective of their talents. The mushroom bisque would be better used to plaster walls than to coat your tummy.

Cup #8 The Watt – Another non-soup occurrence took place in this impressive establishment. We were ushered inside and offered chili!

(He Said) ~ “Hey Roman, since you don’t honor the food chain, you can sit this one out.”

(She Said) ~ “Hey Muro, mark my words, you’ll regret eating that.”

*Sidebar: she was correct.

Cup #9 Il Forno – Another pasta e fagioli. However, a better one than before.

Cup #10 (the final frontier) Flynn’s Pub House – Beef Barley soup to end our excursion. Once again, our C.P.O. rode the bench, and she was lucky to be doing so. The grub and grog here is always enjoyable, but not everyone is perfect.

Although dreary, this day was filled with nourishment for our hearts and our stomachs. Community is built one cup of soup at a time, through a smile or a kind word. The stroll helped serve as a reminder that maybe we all can get by “with a little help from our friends.”