Soups are soul food for a reason, as few dishes give us the same comfort that soup can.
Be it warming you up in winter, nursing that pesky cold or just comforting you after a bad day, beneath the surface, a good bowl of soup does a lot more than just whet your appetite at the start of a meal.
Laughing Buddha
This restaurant needs no introduction when it comes to Thai food, but we can tell you that they start knocking it out of the park right when they serve their soups and appetizers.
Must-Haves: No Thai food experience is complete without a Tom Yum soup. The incredibly flavourful soup, chock full of fillings from succulent prawns to chicken at Laughing Buddha will keep you coming back for more.
The Tom Yum is perfectly balanced with lemongrass, chilli peppers, and kaffir lime leaves.
The stock’s subtle mastery of consistently between thickness and thinness, with each element contributing its own zest and tang on the tongue, is remarkable.
However, a spicier kick from the Tom Yum would have been the icing on the cake of a near-perfect soup.
C Paris
Located at Gulshan 1, this spot celebrates French cuisine with Michelin star chefs, you best believe their soups are not just comforting, but also bring something different to the heart of Dhaka.
Must-Haves: We had their French onion and potato leek soup. The French onion soup was nothing short of divine.
From the gently caramelized onions to the oozing, floating cheese on top, this bowl of comforting cheese, bread, onion, and stock-infused broth was perfect.
This authentic version of a classic French onion soup hit the spot, and the masterstroke for us was the seasoning.
Next, their potato-leek soup, which followed the French onion soup, was a complete cold contrast but equally heartwarming.
The cold potato and leek soup had a balanced, thick yet light consistency, similar to a good cream of mushroom soup, but you appreciate the coldness of the potato leek on a hot summer day without missing the usual warm broth.
Manzo
When it comes to fine dining, Dhaka does not have many places to offer. Manzo, located at the heart of Gulshan Avenue, offers seasonal, Mediterranean food, in a calm environment.
Their soups too, give you a taste of “fine-dining comfort” in the best way possible. With a rotating seasonal menu, their soups they serve each season remain as fresh and as memorable as ever.
Must-Haves: Their Mushroom soup also known as Mushroom Espuma soup with wild mushrooms and 85% cocoa and truffle is delectable.
There were rich mushroom froth, wild mushrooms, and dark chocolate in the mushroom soup.
Trust us, the addition of cocoa made the mushroom soup not just unique but that much more addictive and satisfying.
The wild mushrooms’ umami aroma will engulf your senses like nothing else, and their buttery flavour will make them the star of the dish.
Tudo
Situated in Banani, this Asian fusion restaurant comes from the people behind Manzo so you know it’s going to be as beautiful as it will be delicious.
Their soups too, are just as good as at Manzo.
Must-Haves: We had the Tom kha Thale, a Thai Coconut Shrimp soup. Served hot, this chili, garlic, lemongrass and mushrooms infused coconut broth is spectacular and utterly delicious.
The right amount of heat and the sweetness from the coconut combined with a hearty serving of shrimp will leave you spellbound.
Lambert Lounge
In the bustling neighbourhood of Mirpur DOHS, Lambert Lounge has caught everyone’s attention for the right reasons, with their soup being one of them.
This restaurant combines spacious comfort with a delightful selection of Pan-Asian flavours.
From a variety of dumplings, soul-satisfying soups to Thai-style whole fish, the menu offers something special for everyone.
Must-Haves: The 12 Treasure Soup lived up to its name with a hearty, sweet, and savoury blend of ingredients, including spring onions, carrots, baby corn, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots.
The thick, creamy broth allows each vegetable’s flavour to shine through, though we found the soup a tad too salty for our taste.
The consistency of the soup and well-balanced nuance of the ingredients though, are noteworthy, but also make it well-worth a visit along with their other Pan-Asian dishes, each delicious in their own way.
Dining and Cooking