In the Soup

The day dawned hot and humid. The kind of day my sighing boss describes as soupy, full of heat and steam. He doesn’t much care for soupy days. Me? I rather enjoy the soupy days.

On that soupy day I was at a loss as to what to do for lunch. Normally I eat from a selection of foodstuffs in my office larder. I might have some tuna and a piece of fruit, a salad and some nuts. I might even have soup and crackers. Before or after, depending on the day, I take a walk. I try to take a walk everyday. Well, on that soupy day the larder was bare. I was going to have to use my walk to get some food. What? was the question of the hour.

I work in a neighborhood that is stinky with restaurants of all shapes, sizes, cuisines and prices. The choices are narrowed by budget, personal tastes and distance. I couldn’t go too far, but I wanted to go far enough to satisfy my daily walking goal. I set off with no clear desire about what to eat, where to go. I headed east.

After several blocks I come upon Baba Pita. I’ve passed by many times before with the thought that I’d try it one day. That soupy day was the day. I’m not that well versed in Mediterranean dishes but I figured I could go with some kind of chicken, that’s usually a safe bet. Looking over the menu I thought, hmmm… chicken kabob sandwich. I mulled the menu a bit too long and the clerk, seizing the opportunity, talked me into the special of the day. “I guarantee” he said exuberantly.

From the menu: Appetizer: 2 falafel & 2 stuffed grape leaves
Salad: Fattoush salad (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint, toasted pita bread with olive oil)

Soup: Cream of broccoli soup
Entrée: (8) Jumbo fantail shrimp served over basmati rice with dill & lima beans

Selected dessert and cold drink

More food than I wanted or needed, but I figured hey, leftovers. I get the special packed to go, walk the few blocks back to the office, preparing to be dazzled.

The drink was cold, a relief on that soupy day. The stuffed grape leaves and falafel (I only got 1 each-not the 2 promised on the menu) were tasty. I don’t know if they tasted like they were supposed to, as I’ve never eaten any before, but they worked. The rest of the meal however, was abysmal. The lettuce in the salad (what little there was) was brown and wilted. I hate lima beans but oddly they were the best part of the rice. The shrimp was breaded much too heavily and soggy. And the soup? The cream of broccoli soup was the biggest disappointment. I love cream of broccoli soup. This soup not only devoid of broccoli it was sans the cream. This soup on that soupy day was like old dishwater with an essence of broccoli substitutes.

Looking back on that soupy day I realize that I should have read more into the fact that Mediterranean was mis-spelled twice, differently on the painted and printed menus. I will be passing Baba Pita the next time, each time my larder is bare and I don’t know what to eat for lunch. I guarantee.