Archive for April 30, 2010
No Soup For You! Well, Okay, Soup For You…And Definitely For Me
by John Weckerle
Your editor has been (and remains) a longtime fan and customer of the May Café in Albuquerque. However, there is one thing that may not be the May’s strong suit, and that is vegetarian soups. They’re actually pretty honest about this, if one asks; the vegetarian soups are not as flavorful as their meat-based varieties.
Enter Café Trang, which is located just south of Louisiana Blvd. and Central Avenue in the former location of the Arirang Asian market (just south of the market’s current location, and diagonally across from the May). When I’m in the mood for a bowl of spicy vegetarian lemongrass soup, this is where I go to satisfy the craving. The soup is hearty and flavorful, with an excellent balance of vegetables, tofu, and noodles – and the vegetables are cooked just to my taste, with just the right degree of crispiness. I usually pair it with an order of vegetarian spring rolls, which comes with a serving of Thai peanut sauce for dipping. Service has typically been excellent and friendly, and prices are reasonable.
One warning about the soup: I always specify a small bowl, which is not that small; ordering anything bigger threatens to trigger the “never eat anything bigger than your head” rule, especially when combined with the spring rolls. Of course, ordering a medium or large bowl means you get to have it again the next day.