Samuel Moehring / Soup

Too often, this soup tastes just like its aromatics. Not a bad thing, but it's just usually lacking in the savory department. Not the case here. The chicken broth is obviously made with lots of nam pla, a very homey touch, and one I like very much. The next most dominant flavor is lemongrass. This is the best I've ever had, because it tastes so homemade. Spectacular.

Like an oxtail tom yam, so plenty of lemongrass flavor, ingeniously balanced by the connective-tissue-y oxtails.

More sour than hot. One of the best cornstarch-thickened soups I've had, in that it didn't feel actively viscous, but instead it just felt like it had a lot of body. Satisfying.

Great noodles with a lot of snap! The broth is rich without being greasy or filmy, and perfectly savory. Very filling.

It's a simple combination of very basic tastes---sweet and savory---with a little bit of textural interest. A great way to start.

Really great as a first course, because it's a light, refreshing cold soup. More emphasis on the fruity qualities of tomato rather than the savory ones.

Served as an amuse-bouche. Melony-sweet and crisp, with a hint of the curry, moreso as an aroma than in the palate. The curry seemed to take up a different space on the palate so it didn't interfere with the more subtle cucumber-y tastes the melon brought. Excellent texture, very smooth.

In essence, beef-and-anise soup with big, hearty house-made noodles. Same goes for the beef tendon soup. Even better when taken home and reheated!

Another great bowl of Tom Yum in Rancho Santa Margarita. It's one of the spicier bowls in town, and the flavor tends more towards the lemongrass-citrus end of things.

This is the number 6---essentially, everything except bo vien. The tai comes raw, to be cooked by the hot broth and noodles while you eat. The noodles are chewy and perfect, and they don't sog up later on, though they don't usually last as i eat them first. The broth is beefy and satisfying without being overly oily, and it's a complex broth, unlike the one-dimensional broths you get at less reputable places. I love the onions in this broth as well. The tripe is a nice addition, if you like it, and it's always properly cleaned.