Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo 명동 갈국수

A trip through North Road is not complete without some Korean food. I have widely pronounced my love for the little gem of a restaurant, Kimbap Cheonguk. There are many other nooks and crannies of North Road (aka Koreatown) that I have yet to venture into, so I convinced the family to try something new today. There aren't that many reviews for Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo, but all the ones out there seem to be good. I know some of my Korean schoolmates have eaten there as well.

Find Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo in here!

I though Kimbap Cheonguk was a hole-in-the-wall, and then I came here. It wasn't terribly difficult to locate, as I saw some photos on other blogs. Here are some tips to help you find this little eatery:

• Park in the plaza lot where Hannam Supermarket is
• Look for the stairs that lead to the upper plaza
• Underneath the staircase, look for the automatic sliding doors
• The yellow speech bubble I added onto the photo points to the sign which says 'Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo' in Korean and the English simply says 'Korean Restaurant'.

Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo

Once inside, the restaurant (or more like a single-stalled food court) will be to the right. You can't miss it with its bright yellow walls. There is also a travel agency, coffee shop, and a few other small businesses sharing the same indoor plaza (all of which were closed Sunday). 

Menu

As my parents noted, their menu is not friendly to non-Koreans, or those unfamiliar with Korean food. The menu is divided up into four columns: dumplings, noodles, rice, and snacks. I'll describe each item:

- Giant dumplings - Giant dumplings with spicy sauce - Rice cake & regular dumplings - Regular dumplings in soup

- Knife cut noodles - Knife cut noodles with regular dumplings - Noodles with spicy sauce - Chewy Noodles (see Jjol Myeon here)

- Rice, beef, and vegetables in a hot stone pot - Rice, beef, and vegetables in a regular bowl - Spicy squid and rice - Marinated beef and rice - Spicy beef soup

- Rice cake in soup - Korean sushi roll - Spicy rice cakes - 1kg of kimchi

Place your order at the cashier. Seating and drinks are self-serve; there's a hot and cold water dispenser off in the corner. Trays and dirty dishes are returned on top of the newspapers by the water machines.

Myoung Dong (sorry, I must shorten the name) is a couple-run business, the wife rings up orders on the cashier, organizes orders, and cleans up the tables. The husband is in the kitchen doing the cooking. Despite only having two staff, the food came out very efficiently. There were not that many customers when we went on a Sunday at lunchtime, so service was quick. Keep an eye out for your own order, you'll have to retrieve your tray(s) from the front. 

Karl Gook Su ($7.95)

Karl Gook Su (or Khal Kook Su or Kal Guk Su...), is Korean comfort food. Nothing extravagant here, but since the restaurant is named after this dish, gotta try it right? Don't be fooled, because this bowl contains a lot of noodles. At least enough for two people. Paired with the noodles is some minced beef, carrots, zucchini, and quite a bit of onion. My mom didn't think the onions matched the noodles, but I thought it tasted fine. The broth isn't super strong, but it's flavourful enough to slurp up. However, I found the noodles to be overcooked, past al dente, so it was too soft for my liking. This Karl Gook Su isn't something I would specifically recommend, but it isn't bad. Remember, it's comfort food. Very filling comfort food.

Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap ($10.38)

I admit, the Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap was the main reason I wanted to come. While Kimbap Cheonguk across the street serves an amazing 'modern' rendition, I was in the mood for the traditional kind, with lots of colourful vegetables. Although it's a bit pricier here, this dish was spot. on. Made perfectly. Complete with an egg on top. It's a large bowl, served sizzling hot! I know it's difficult to be patient when your stomach is calling, but let it sit for a minute or two to let the crispy layer of rice develop before mixing it all together. Add a generous squeeze of the hot sauce that accompanies the rice and oh my, oh my, you've got a perfect meal right there. The stone pot rice here is perfect!

Oh and that bowl of soup is a broth made of daikon radish and some green onion. Plain and even blander than the noodle soup. We got two, so two of the dishes we ordered came with a soup. Don't know which ones though..

Wang Man Doo ($8.95) and Kim Bob ($4.19)

This was my first time eating Wang Man Doo. Five of these massive, fist-sized, steamed dumplings stuffed with a juicy pork and vegetable mixture would make for a hefty meal. Two ladies sitting at the table behind us shared one bowl of Karl Gook Su and one order of these 'king-sized man doo' as their meal. Like xiao long bao, the wrapping is thin and a bit of soup came spilling out when I cut my dumpling into half. While my dad though these dumplings were nothing special, my mom and I think they are yummy. With a splash of the accompanying sauce and a bit of the spicy pepper sauce I will mention below, these are simply delicious. 

The Kim Bob here is not bad here, but it isn't especially good either. The filling is lacking and the price is expensive compared to other places, such as Kimbap Cheonguk. Even Hannam Supermarket next door sells two rolls for only five dollars. I wouldn't bother getting kimbap here again.

Spicy Pepper Sauce

A little pot of this spicy pepper sauce sits at each table. The peppers look really fresh so I suspect it is made in house. The flavour of this hot sauce is different than others, can't exactly explain how but I guess fresh is always special! My mom kept praising this condiment throughout the meal. Be warned that the peppers are really spicy!

The kimchi here is really good, and they give a lot of it as well! One plate was mainly the stalk of the cabbage and the other plate was mainly the leaves. They also make the kimchi in house, and it can be purchased for ten dollars per kilogram.

The total for our lunch for four came to about $33, which is very economical for the amount of food we received. The owners are very kind and soft-spoken. Although I utilizied my limited Korean vocabulary when ordering, it was evident that it was my first time here. The owner treated us just as warmly as all the other Korean customers. Yes, yes, my mother still argues that Kimbap Cheonguk is cheaper, but eating the same dishes every time is boring. Nevertheless, we all enjoyed our meal and I'm sure we'll come back for more giant dumplings and stone pot rice.




Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Dinesty Chinese Restaurant 聚

Dinesty Chinese Restaurant

Sending or picking up someone from the airport usually means an excuse to eat in Richmond. My parents are not the type to willingly drive out for food. Hence why we always dine at the same handful of restaurants. I can count them all out to you with less than one hand. Despite my suggestion of trying a non-Chinese restaurant in Richmond (which yes, I know may sound dumb), my dad already made up his mind that he wanted Shanghainese. So, I made sure to go all out on exercising this week in preparation for heavy authentic Chinese food.

There is a plethora of Shanghainese restaurants in Richmond, all rivaling each other to win the title of 'best xiao long bao'. Having my best friend's Shanghainese grandpa, I've visited a few of the Shanghainese restaurants in Richmond over the years. Those include Top Shanghai Cuisine, Shanghai Wonderful, and Suhang Restaurant. I'm no expert in Shanghainese cuisine, so I judge according to my own preferences.

Dinesty is the number one ranked restaurant in Richmond, according to Urbanspoon. It now has three locations in Vancouver, Aberdeen Centre, Downtown, and this one. I noticed there were many Caucasian customers dining here, especially young adults. 

Open Kitchen

The plaza Dinesty is in has a large parking lot, large for Richmond at least. When we arrived smack-dab at noon, everyone seemed to just finish parking; it was a headache trying to find someone that was leaving. People fighting for spots left and right, oieeee.. While my dad circled the parking lot, my mom and brother went to put our name on the waitlist. For the amount of customers Dinesty has, the number of tables is not adequate. I'm estimating that we waited 15 minutes or so until a table for four opened up. The waiting area is very narrow and cramped. I did like the outdoor heater at the door; when the door opens this freezing breeze pulls through, brrr! Speaking of cold, the waitress made sure we were aware that the table we were being put at would feel the cold air when the door opens. I appreciate that she mentioned it to us as it is quite important to the customer's experience.  

The interior design of the restaurant is very modern and up-scale. The tables and sofa-like chairs look very new. Dinesty is different from other Chinese restaurants in a way because their tables are not crammed as close as possible in order to squeeze a maximum number of tables in. Their kitchen is wide open, which is a good sign as the customers have a clear view of how their food is being prepared. 

Illustrated, Diner-Friendly Menu

Matching the elegant design of the restaurant are these menus. I found it amusing how the cover says "open here". It's like we've never encountered a book before. I kid, I kid. Their menu is extremely user-friendly, and those who can't read Chinese very well like myself, can let out a sigh of relief as there are clear, colour photos for the majority of dishes. The English descriptions are quite concise too, minus a few typing errors here and there. Ahem, mashroom...

Spicy Beef Tendon ($6.95)

Most of the dishes we ordered are still considered dim sum dishes, so they are prepared ahead of time and served up really quickly. The Spicy Beef Tendon was the first to arrive. In Chinese, it's actually called "numbing spiciness beef tendon", but the spiciness was faaaaaaaaaaaar from numbing. Nevertheless, this was a well executed dish. The tendon was not too soft nor too hard. The hint of spiciness added just enough flavour without being well, numbing. Because if your tongue is numb, you can't taste anything. This dish was served warm and it was most delicious that way. Although this appetizer tasted good, it wasn't extraordinary. I would've done just fine with a three dollar Cantonese dimsum beef tendon. Make that two, for the seven dollars.

Yellow Croaker ($5.95)

Another appetizer dish. My mom quickly decided that she wanted to order this Yellow Croaker. I thought it was going to be some fillet of fish or some tiny fried fish, but then came these three jerky-like medium sized fish. I'm not in anyway bothered by whole fish as I love eating sardines and such. Unlike the beef tendon, this dish was served cold. The texture of the fish was dry and chewy like jerky, and the weak puddle of vinegar didn't do anything for the flavour. The problem I had with this dish was that it was boring. The taste was flat and just straight out nothing special. Two bucks per fish? Never again.

Sweet Soy Duck ($6.50)

Hangry, impatient people usually don't make the best last minute choices. This Sweet Soy Duck being one of them. I didn't try this dish, but after a few bites my mom declared it tasted like regular soy sauce duck. Which, in fair argument, it is. But nothing about this quarter of a duck was significant to match it's price tag of $6.50.

Vegetable Dumpling ($7.95)

Honestly, I'm not trying to be super picky in this review, but the mediocre food doesn't stop at the appetizers. The Vegetable Dumplings seemed to be a popular choice as I browsed through other diner's photos on Urbanspoon. I really enjoy vegetarian food so this type of dumpling is right up my alley. The wrapping of these small dumplings are thin and not too tough, and the overall dumpling was not too salty, but not bland either. However, the texture of the filling was off; the tofu and vegetables were unappetizing mushy. I don't think too highly of the one and only Northern Chinese restaurant in the Tri-Cities, Lucky Gate, but their version of the vegetable dumpling is much much better. Lucky Gate's dumplings are larger and the tofu and vegetables are more distinguished as they are finely diced rather than mashed.

Spicy Sesame Noodles/Dan Dan Noodles ($6.50)

At first I was worried at how much carb-dense dishes we  ordered. Then we discovered that there was not enough to keep everyone full. Quite a surprise considering that we were dining Chinese. This bowl of Spicy Sesame Noodle was one of the best dishes we had for lunch. Dan dan noodles are called 'peanut noodles' at most restaurants. Traditionally, it should be made from tahini (sesame butter) and not peanut butter. I'm quite picky about my sesame/peanut noodles. I prefer sauce-y noodles over soup-y noodles. Although Dinesty's version of dan dan noodles is more on the soup-y side, the soup was packed with nutty flavour. It was thick enough to stick to the beautifully made al dente noodles. The only downside to this dish was the size. No understatement here, but there was the equivalent of two tiny bowls of noodles. Each of us got to eat one measly little pile of noodles. Sad for me because I actually liked this dish.

Noodles with Meat Sauce ($6.50)

This Noodle with Meat Sauce was not as good as it's spicy sesame cousin. While the portion was noticeably more generous, the noodles were over cooked and nearing mushy. The meat sauce had some firm tofu in it, which was different yet tasty. 

Steamed Pork Soup Dumplings/Xiao Long Bao ($6.95)

And I save the most anticipated for last. Are their Xiao Long Bao worthy of being hailed as 'the best'? (Whatever that means..) Just to help my readers put my review into context, I actually don't have much interest in xiao long bao. My brother loves them, and I know many people are obsessed with these little packages of pork sitting in a bag of soup. I just don't have a soft spot for them. I did eat one for the sake of reviewing them. They were miniature sized, which I don't mind as long as the taste is good. The flavours were balanced, not too salty but can still taste the natural pork flavour. The soup was there, but I wouldn't say there was a lot of it. The pork meat was moist, the wrapping, like the vegetable dumplings, was thin and not tough. Overall, a good value xiao long bao. My family liked how the dipping sauce had a lot of ginger.

Final verdict: Three out of the seven dishes we ordered "can do", meaning that they were good but not amazing/life changing. I'm glad the food was not laden with salt and MSG, but that being said, the flavours weren't a wow factor either. The word underwhelming describes my experience at Dinesty perfectly. I guess the largest issue is that we paid nearly $14 per person but still felt hungry afterwards. The 'dainty' servings are just that small. If you compromise the size, the flavour better make up for it. Unfortunately, it didn't. Perhaps after expanding the business, Dinesty Chinese Restaurant's quality has decreased. After this so-so meal at Dinesty, I know I won't be coming back. Probably ever. I would recommend the Shanghainese food at Top Shanghai Cuisine across the street. 

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Matoi Sushi - Lunchtime Goodness

The rain is pouring, our stomachs are growling, it's time to find some lunch with the father and brother! We mutually agreed to pay a visit to Matoi Sushi, one of the better Japanese restaurants in the Tri-Cities.

Matoi Sushi opens for lunch at 11:30am, and we arrived just a few minutes after that. There were already two groups enjoying their lunch boxes when we walked through the door. The chef at the bar greeted us with a happy "irashaimase!" 

Miso Soup that came with our lunch sets

Once our order was put in, we were served the accompanying miso soup. Filled with MSG or not, it warms you up on a cold rainy day.

Grilled Marinated Black Cod lunch set ($11.50)

Ever since I first ate sablefish (aka black cod or butterfish) at Fleuri, the restaurant inside the Sutton Place Hotel, it has been my favourite type of fish. Super oily, moist, smooth, delicious...and expensive. I've been interested in trying the grilled black cod dishes at Japanese restaurants so I took the opportunity at Matoi Sushi to do so. I ordered the Grilled Marinated Black Cod Lunch off of today's BBQ Fish Lunch Special menu. 

Do not be too let down when the food arrives; the piece of fish may look tiny for $11 but remember, this stuff is like gold. I have to admit, my expectations where not too high, but I left the restaurant knowing I had discovered a new favourite. I appreciate that the piece of fish was mostly meat; I only picked out two or three bones. Although the fish was grilled, the texture slightly resembled smoked fish, laying in between grilled and candied. The naturally oily fish was kept moist as it should be. Nothing worse than overcooking a fish like sablefish or halibut. The marinated black cod was flavourful enough on its own to pair with plain white rice. I thoroughly enjoyed my precious piece of fish. When it's a small portion, I find that one can savour the experience better. Everything in moderation folks. 

The salad is composed of some mixed greens, a slice of tomato and a (I believe) house-made salad dressing. The texture is a bit grainy but it isn't greasy or too salty. A refreshing bite between eating the rich fish. My fish lunch set also came with a little bowl of cooked tuna and daikon radish in a savoury-sweet sauce, sprinkled with some sesame seeds. This little side dish was quite appetizing and I used it to eat my remaining white rice. Oh and see the little mound of wakame salad? I love eating this algae~

Bento Box C ($10.99)

This is the Bento Box C, consisting of 3 slices each of salmon and tuna sashimi, 2 slices of tamago egg (that looked a little grey-green...), choice of teriyaki (beef shown here), tempura, salad, and salmon gyoza (the special of the day). The waitress will ask you if you would like the bowl of rice that comes with the set. I assume that since the lunch box has so much food, many customers don't end up finishing the rice so asking might save them from wasting rice. 

It was my first time trying Matoi's sashimi and I must say, I am extremely impressed. The tuna literally melted in my mouth with zero effort! I don't usually like eating tuna sashimi, but this made me change my mind. It potentially could have been toro, the belly, which is very tender and soft. Their fresh and high quality sashimi makes me want to try their chirashi don!

I tried one piece of tempura, and it was a super thick piece of zucchini. The tempura dipping sauce is served steaming hot and after dipping my tempura into it, the coating went completely soggy. :(

I didn't try much of the teriyaki but it looked standard and a little bit on the wet side. My brother and dad each had one of the fried gyoza and were pleasantly surprised to find that it was filled with salmon! My dad thinks they may have been made in house.

Katsu Don ($8.99)

Recently, my dad and brother have really been into ordering Katsu Don at Japanese restaurants; I think they're on the hunt for one that matches up to the perfect one at Pioneer Saloon. Despite having a more complex preparation process, the katsu don came out pretty quick. The large bowl has a thick bed of rice with sauteed onions and a sweet-savoury sauce. I took a small bite of the katsu and it was fairly thick, tender, but no longer crispy since the egg and sauce soaked into the panko breading. It's kind of difficult to maintain a crispy katsu in a sauce-y rice so I won't deduct too many points. So enjoy the katsu don as soon as it is served!

Service was prompt up two when the restaurant is two-thirds full; there were two waitresses when we arrived and the head waitress came at around noon. The two younger waitresses that served us were very sweet and kind. They refilled our tea immediately after we asked and cleared our table once they saw we were done. As mentioned in my first post on Matoi Sushi, a small package of chocolate Pocky sticks accompanies the bill. A small but appreciated gesture, sure to make younger children (or those young at heart) happy. I will surely return to Matoi Sushi for more quality, yet affordable, Japanese food.

Note that they are closed on Mondays.



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Kimbap Cheonguk: New Menu!

It's been a while since I've last eaten at 'Kimbap Heaven'. This 'four colours' Korean restaurant has become a favourite in my family. My mom and brother went recently and mentioned they had new items on their menu so I was curious and eager to try it myself. 

Kimbap Cheonguk's new menu (as of January 2014)

New items on the menu include Stone Pot Rice with Pork, Potato and Pork Bone Soup Hot Pot, and Ddukbokki with Chicken and Cheese. All of which sound pretty appealing to me~

Back: Al Bap ($7.99), Front: Stone Pot Rice with Pork ($8.99)

The Al Bap is by far my favourite dish to order at this cozy little restaurant. You can read my love rants (yes there is more than one!) for this bowl of rice in my other posts here and here. It may sound like I'm exaggerating, but no seriously, this Al Bap is perfection. I ate more than half of that rice. There goes my Saturday morning exercise...

On this particular visit with my father and brother, we ordered three rice dishes (the roll of kimbap with crispy seaweed was already devoured well before these two dishes arrived). One of which was their new Stone Pot Rice with Pork. Like the Al Bap, this rice dish is served in a smoking hot stone bowl that actually crisps the rice touching the side. I always wait a few moments (because I'm impatient and can't wait minutes) to give the rice some time to form a 'cake' on the bottom. That's the whole point of cooking it in a hot pot; that crispy rice is my favourite part! The toppings of bean sprouts, sliced pork, and seaweed are smothered in a spicy sauce. They even provide you with an extra bottle of sauce in case you are really in the mood for something fiery. However, I don't think extra seasonings were necessary at all. This dish is quite oily, and it can evidently be seen when comparing the cleared stone pots of the Al Bap and this one; the pork one has a lot more oil. While the new pork rice packs a bigger punch of flavour, I still prefer the more unique flavours of the less-greasy Al Bap. But if you're a spicy food lover like my brother, the Stone Pot Rice with Pork may be more up your alley.

If it isn't obvious yet, I really love Kimbap Cheonguk. It's a family run business (as told by my Korean friend) and the staff are efficient and friendly. The main male cook in the kitchen gives each customer a loud and friendly greeting as they enter or leave the restaurant. The restaurant seems to be doing pretty well, considering they reprinted their menus and are able to offer their customers more choices. Many non-Koreans are beginning to dine here as well! As for the seating, there aren't many tables so come a little earlier or a little later to avoid waits. But even then, the waits are never long because food is served up really fast. 

As an important note, they only take cash or debit card.



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

The Flying Pig: Fat Rats Pig Out

We would like to formally introduce the Fat Rats, a group of girls whose vision of a party centres around food. The group nickname started off as a casual joke made by Papaya Crumpet, but it was so applicable and suited us perfectly that it stuck. To the point where Coconut Crumpet spent over an hour meticulously cutting out paper letters as props for our graduation group photo-shoot. F-A-T-R-A-T-S. 

So after we held those letters for less than two minutes, the session was over and we were charged 75-freaking-dollars. That photography company starting with the letter A exists to pocket poor about-to-enter-university student's what-could've-been-tuition money by the stacks. To make us all feel better that we didn't waste hours of our precious time prettying up and getting stuck in traffic to get to Vancouver, we braved the downpour of typical autumn rain to get dinner at the The Flying Pig. 

Even without a reservation (because they don't take reservations for dinner), we were seated quickly and our dripping wet umbrellas joined the impressive pile by the entrance. Lighting is dim and the decor is cozy, the ambiance sitting between that of a classy restaurant and a casual neighbourhood joint. The Fat Rats were probably the youngest and most formally dressed diners in the whole restaurant. Not awkward at all..

While we examined the menu, water was brought to the table in glass bottles that resemble vintage milk bottles. Our waiter took our order, and our photos before zipping back into the open kitchen where tons of cooks moved to and fro from stove tops and hot appliances.

Muscles, Clams, and Fries

My Greek Taverna

Recommended by a close family friend a few years ago, My Greek Taverna has been my family's 'special occasion' restaurant for a while now. They are known for quality and quantity Greek food. Come hungry, and leave with enough leftovers for your next meal.

My Greek Taverna is open for lunch from Monday to Friday and open for dinner every day of the week. The only difference in menu is that at dinner the plates are larger (as if one needs any more food...) and there are some large platters for big groups. The food is equally as good during both times of day. It is rare that my whole family can dine at My Greek on a weekday so we took the opportunity to have lunch there!

Kalamari Lunch ($10.95)

I ordered the calamari (they seem to spell it with a K) lunch plate which includes a pile of bouncy fried squid, a side of Greek salad, a hefty amount of seasoned rice, half a marinated potato and some tzatziki sauce. The calamari here is very good; the batter is thin and evenly coats the squid, there is a mix of tentacles and rings, and the squid is very tender and moist.

Pike Place Chowder

Even though my family goes on semi-annual road trips to America, we never really find the effort to go try new food. We've developed this one-meal-a-day schedule making it rather difficult to convince everyone to try a new restaurant when all cravings are for Sweet Tomatoes (which is one of my favourite restaurants ever, but still.) So finally, after pestering my father year after year, he finally promised to drive through downtown Seattle so we could have some clam chowder. The good stuff.

Pike Place Chowder @ Pike Place Market

Parking at Pike Place Market isn't free, but thankfully it isn't outrageous. Between 0 and 1 hour is $3 and between 1 and 2 hours is $6. Payment is made via a machine by the elevator on the Main floor. My tip is to keep your eye on the time and set aside at least 15 minutes to get back to the garage to avoid missing your desired time deadline. I believe it is only around $8 for all day parking if you enter before 9am.

Pike Place Chowder @ Pike Place Market

So finally, we are at Pike Place! Surprisingly, even on a Monday, there were so. many. people. everywhere. I understand that it's a tourist area but even when I visited in the summer, there weren't that many people bustling about. As a reference, the line up for the original Starbucks was out the door and down to the corner of the street. It was insane.  

Looking at the Post Alley sign on Pine Street

The famed Pike Place Chowder is located on a street called 'Post Alley'. It isn't accessible by car and there is only a street sign at one end. Just so happens we completely missed that end and made a gigantic circle around the block just to find it was a 200 metre walk from where the parking elevator was. It really is an alley that is a back lane turned business area. 

The fastest way to get to Pike Place Chowder is to walk from the tulip shop (under the giant Public Market sign on top of the roof outside) down Pine Street about 100 metres. The entrance to Post Alley is directly across the street from Sur La Table, a home good store. 

Pike Place Chowder Menu

We arrived just before noon, and juuuuust before the mad lunch rush of both tourists and office workers. The line up was just barely around the corner when we got there and the wait wasn't too long. There is one employee ladling the soup and another one ringing up the cashier, making the line of hungry customers chug along smoothly. Both employees were very patient and generous with us indecisive first-timers, even if their stiff facial expressions look otherwise. At first, we were going to order four large bowls of soup but then we saw a quart size of soup available (which is equivalent to two larges). He already poured soup into one of the large bowls but simply dumped it out and scooped us a quart size. Even though the menu board is already full of writing, I think they need to indicate the price of the quart to let customers know that it is an option.

A quart (32 oz) of Clam Chowder ($13.95), large (16 oz) Seafood Bisque and Market Chowder ($8.45 each)

After all the lengthy talk about everything other than food, it's time to talk about the soup!