Today Daniel Walker takes us to The Grape. He writes about the restaurant’s iconic mushroom soup. I know at least three people who got pregnant after eating this soup. Who knows how many of you reading this post were born after your parents shared a bowl. Ask them. Meanwhile, consider yourself warned. Go Daniel.
Rumor has it that within the dark, dank cellars of chef/owner Brian Luscher’s The Grape lies a secret chamber known only to faithful devotees and close loved ones, a room known only as “the sanctuary.” In the corner of this room sits a single ornately carved stone pedestal, standing a few feet tall, bathed in the dim glow of a few flickering candles. While the revered relic that rests upon this pedestal is still in question, most experts agree that it represents only one of the great culinary achievements Luscher has presented to mankind.
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Some assert the object has ties to his now legendary Grape burger, a plausible claim, however, reliable sources have made it known to me that, most likely, upon this alter lay the first spoon ever to have touched The Grape’s exquisite mushroom soup. All who have sampled this beautiful gastronomic gift, will not have a difficult time believing that dozens flock to the feet of this humble pedestal to leave bouquets of flowers, burn candles, and kneel before this legendary shrine of soup.
Soup may not be the first thing that comes to mind when it is 106 degrees outside, but I could enjoy a soup this good even if I were sitting inside a volcano. No matter how often I indulge in this luscious liquid, I leave the table a happier man.
Button mushrooms are chopped and tossed into a base of butter, cream, and stock flavored with bay leaf, thyme, and garlic. The soup remains hearty and filling even without the addition of any protein as the mushrooms add a meatiness any carnivore could enjoy. It also remains delicately light and smooth, while still managing to be rich and flavorful from the cream and butter. Its near perfect consistency, its depth of flavor, and brilliant simplicity make this dish almost unfit for mere mortal tongues.
The warm and freshly-baked bread basket provides the perfect tools for sopping up every last drop of this legendary soup, as you will likely not be able to bare sending away the bowl with even a speck of broth left on your dish. Best soup in Dallas? Name a better one.
