Fire in the bowl

By MATT GLEASON World Scene Writer - 9/23/2009


Four bowls, that's what we wanted, all brimming with goodness and warmth.

Now don't misunderstand, this is not a best-of competition. It's just the result of a few Scenesters listening to our taste buds, then letting them point the way back to four of our favorite Tulsa restaurants.

May these three soups — and one classic chili bowl — warm your belly this winter, and fuel an online discussion at tulsaworld.com. Let us know where you go to savor a hot bowl of love.

Ike's Chili, 5941 E. Admiral Place

Whether you drown a plate of spaghetti in it, or simply crown a bowl of it with onions, cheese and jalapeno slices, Ike's legendary chili is, as it's been called, the "caviar of chili."

Since 1908, Ike's has been serving the good stuff, which has fed everyone from wildcatters to Will Rogers and Garth Brooks.

Over a bowl of chili, owner Chris Trail said, "There's something addictive about it — I truly believe that."

The 39-year-old says he remembers as a boy loading up two cases of Mason jars with Ike's chili.

Then Trail and his stepfather, Zurn Johnson, would carry the precious cargo out to the airport. Soon after, a private jet would swoop in to carry the chili back to oil millionaires down in Texas.

What better currency to show off an oil man's status in the world than a bowl of Ike's chili. Trail said old timers order it with a side of grease.

Full Moon Cafe, 1525 E. 15th Street

Mamas, at least in the old days, prepared savory recipes that didn't fuss over calories, or the like. All that mattered was filling hungry bellies, and feeling loved on a cold day.

For more than 20 years, Full Moon has stuck to that philosophy with its tortilla soup. It's thick, creamy, topped with guacamole and still mum about its recipe.

Plus, as general manager Susan Butcher pointed out, when patrons empty one bowl, they get another free. The soup is so loved, Butcher has been known to pack it in dry-ice and ship it overnight to folks in need of a warm reminder of home.

A while back, a fella tried to see how many bowls of the 12-ounce tortilla soup he could eat in three minutes. Turns out he could put down a bowl a minute, but Butcher said, "It got really messy."

Thai Siam, 6380 E. 31st St.

Walk away from Thai Siam after a bowl of tom kha shrimp (or tom kha gai if you prefer chicken over shrimp) and you'll feel the heat lingering on your lips, and the sweetness of its coconut flavor in your belly.

The only problem is it's so pretty you almost hate to dig into this hearty beauty that includes, among other things, red chili, lemon leaf and gingery galangal.

This is yet another bowl of goodness that we can't wait to peel off our mittens, so we can grab a spoon and dig in.

The Spudder, 6536 E. 50th St.

It doesn't look like much, really. It's just a bowl full of deep red tomato soup that expertly sets up a fine steak dinner.

Oh, but in its heyday, that hearty tomato soup sure put on a show.

Back when Hari Broerze served it at his two Tulsa restaurants in the '70s and '80s, the chef from the Netherlands would serve it tableside, complete with a touch of gin set ablaze.

After Broerze closed his second restaurant in the mid-'80s, he eventually found his way to the Spudder.

Once there, Broerze brought along his tomato soup. However, he no longer served it tableside and squelched its flame-boyant ways.

"It's very unique. It's not like your average tomato soup," said Spudder's kitchen manager Steve Lawson.

By the way, Lawson's not about to spill the details of a recipe, which Gourmet Magazine once asked for, but never received.



Matt Gleason 581-8473
matt.gleason@tulsaworld.com


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Tulsa World Reader Comments
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WTC, (9/23/2009 8:08:07 AM)
You guys really missed a great soup and it is served up about two blocks from your offices. The freshly made Mulagatawny soup at Impressions is the best soup in town in my opinion.

Loophole, (9/23/2009 8:49:28 AM)
I confess, I've not had the tomato soup at the Spudder but I have to say their potato soup is the best in town.

2ndjoyce, BA (9/23/2009 9:12:09 AM)
Back Creek Deli on Main Street in BA is where I go for potato soup. Really good.

coffeelady, (9/23/2009 9:26:29 AM)
Fresh and homemade daily, the most wonderfuls soups are from Health Plaza Cafe located in the Siegfried Health Club at St. John Medical Center. There are two soups offered daily and one is a vegetarian offering.

willi, T-oolsa (9/23/2009 9:43:16 AM)
I can make a meal out a good soup or bowl of chili. Best chili I ever had was on old rte. 66 in Gallup, N. M. It was just a little roadstop cafe on the west edge of town. It took a quart of milk to take the bite out later down the road. The size of the bowl was unbelievable also. I got my monies worth.

RaineyT, Owasso (9/23/2009 10:36:30 AM)
This is when I miss the lobster bisque from the Atlantic Sea Grill.

Slatz, Tulsa (9/23/2009 10:40:51 AM)
Keo on Brookside has some phenomenal soups as well. Also check out the spicy Asian/Indian entres at Desi Wok on 41st & Hudson. Sorry, but Ron's chili is still my favorite. My folks had a pretty good chili recipe they used at their (now closed) restaurant at 17th & Main called Choices. We still make that one: just meat, no beans or anything else...perfect! One more suggestion, the Mongolian beef at Te Kei's is the best I've ever had...and it'll make your head sweat a little!

Ayo, T-Town (9/23/2009 2:16:56 PM)
Oh man, that Thai soup looks delicious. I am definitely going out there for some.

flyfisher, (9/23/2009 4:01:00 PM)
I remember Hari's tomato soup with the gin flambe! Man, it was good, wish I had the recipe.

Wingie, (9/24/2009 7:06:10 AM)
The lobster bisque at Micheal Fusco's is to die for. I crave it!

LocalBoy, B.A. (9/24/2009 9:32:17 AM)
If you get near Galveston, the Flying Dutchman has the world's best Aligator Bisque - order it with a shot of creme Sherry.



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