Vermont's Independent Voice
Browse News
Browse Arts + Life
Browse Food + Drink
Browse Cannabis
Browse Music
Browse Movies
Browse Events
Browse Classifieds
Browse Personals
It's not easy to get the recipe right in small but sophisticated Montpelier. The capital city is both crunchy and world-wise, localvore and price-sensitive.
Pam Root satisfies all the constituencies at That's Life Soup, a cozy café on Elm Street that serves up soothing, steaming bowls to state workers, townies and tourists — not to mention the hungry lawmakers who take over Montpelier for four-plus months a year.
Root changes the soup selections daily. An Indian mulligatawny might share the menu with a Moroccan concoction, only to be replaced the next day with a spicy Creole stew and a refined French bisque.
But on Fridays you can always get pho — a street-food staple in Vietnam. The fragrant, flavorful beef broth, replete with noodles and thin strips of meat, comes topped with slivers of caramelized shallot. A dish of hot sauce and a lime wedge arrive on the side.
Prefer solid food? That's Life also has "French Grille" sandwiches and seasonal salads. Variety is encouraged here. That means the fresh lemonade can be served up sweet or puckeringly tart. Certain sandwiches are stuffed with cured meats, while others feature avocado slices or portabello mushrooms. There's always at least one vegetarian potage, and both vegan and gluten-free items are clearly labeled.
The ridiculously rich corn chowder is none of the above. Its creamy broth is thick with cheddar, packed with potato hunks and topped with bacon crumbles. When it comes to surviving winter in Vermont, Root's hearty selections are essential, along with warm socks.
This article was originally published in 7 Nights: The Seven Days Guide to Vermont Restaurants & Bars in April 2009.
Related Locations
-
That's Life Soup
- 41 Elm St., Montpelier Barre/Montpelier VT 05602
-
802-223-5333
- www.facebook.com…
Related Stories
More By This Author
Speaking of...
-
Soundbites: Checking In With Buch Spieler Records
Oct 7, 2020 -
Kismet Moves Home to Original Montpelier Location
Sep 8, 2020 -
Lawmakers Consider Options for Meeting When New Session Begins
Sep 1, 2020 -
Capital City Farmers Market Parks in a New Lot
Sep 1, 2020 -
New Indian Restaurants Come to St. Albans and Montpelier
Jun 30, 2020 - More »
Comments
Comments are closed.
Since 2014, Seven Days has allowed readers to comment on all stories posted on our website. While we’ve appreciated the suggestions and insights, the time has come to shut them down — at least temporarily.
While we champion free speech, facts are a matter of life and death during the coronavirus pandemic, and right now Seven Days is prioritizing the production of responsible journalism over moderating online debates between readers.
To criticize, correct or praise our reporting, please send us a letter to the editor. Or send us a tip. We’ll check it out and report the results.
Online comments may return when we have better tech tools for managing them. Thanks for reading.
