The Original Soup Man
260 Yonge Street (Eaton Centre, North Concourse Level)
416-915-7687
Lunch for two with all taxes and soft drink: $20-$30

Even if you weren’t a fan of Seinfeld, you’re probably familiar with the infamous “Soup Nazi” episode in which Jerry and friends put up with the strict rules and threat of hearing the dreaded “NO SOUP FOR YOU!” exclamation from the titular character in order to eat his heavenly lobster bisque and other creations.

What non-fans may not know is that like many of the characters and situations on the show, the Soup Nazi had a real life inspiration: Al Yeganeh, the owner and chef of Soup Kitchen International at 55th and 8th in Manhattan. From many accounts, Yeganeh was unimpressed by the notoriety that the show brought him, particularly the somewhat unflattering moniker that he was tagged with.

That being said, he’s certainly done well for himself in the aftermath of his fictionalized fame, although it took him some time to do so. More than a decade after the original airing of the 1995 Seinfeld episode, Yeganeh partnered with John Bello of SoBe Beverages and other investors to launch The Original Soup Man as a line of “Grab-N-Go” soups for retail, as well as a chain of franchise restaurants. The soups are prepared in two US locations, with Yeganeh still developing all of the recipes and ensuring that the product being shipped to stores and franchises meet his exacting standards.

The first and only Canadian location is an unassuming-looking kiosk located in the food court in the north end of the Eaton Centre. As with Yeganeh’s original location, there are rules posted (”Pick the soup you want! Have your money ready! Move to the extreme left after ordering!”), but instead of a surly Middle Eastern man, customers are served by friendly, patient staff who are more than happy to explain the menu if any questions arise.

And questions do arise, as the menu has a lot more options than a typical food court outlet. The prices for soup alone vary from $5.49 to $9.99 depending on the size (cup or bowl) and style (vegetarian, meat/poultry, seafood, chilled or “specialty”). Throw in an assortment of salads, sandwiches, and combo deals, and it may take a couple of visits to get the menu fully deciphered.

First time customers may also question the seemingly high price tag for the constantly changing line-up of soups, particularly when compared to the prices being charged at the other counters in the food court. But taking into account the quality of the food and the fact that all soups are served with bread, a choice of fruit, and a Lindt chocolate, the prices are more than fair.

Take, for example, Soup Man’s mulligatawny ($6.49/cup, $7.99/bowl), a golden broth chock full of tender chicken, chunks of apple, copious veggies (including carrot, tomato, peppers and celery), golden raisins and slivered almonds. The flavour is complex and layered, with delicious herbal notes and a mild curry kick. The only complaint I could make is that it’s a touch too salty, but otherwise, it’s fantastic.

Not quite so wonderful but still very good is the seafood jambalaya ($6.99/cup, $8.49/bowl). It’s just as hearty as the mulligatawny, with plenty of chicken, sausage, rice, okra and other vegetables, but the flavours don’t come together quite as well. It’s also a bit mild on the spice scale to start, but the heat develops to a nice burn by the end of the bowl, so having one of the fresh brewed iced teas ($1.29) or a lemonade ($1.49) on hand might be a good idea.

Of course, for the full Soup Man experience, one really should go straight to the top of the soup chain with one of Al’s specialty soups, crab bisque or lobster bisque ($8.49/cup, $9.99/bowl). The latter features an amazingly rich, creamy and flavourful broth, with seemingly endless chunks of slightly overcooked but still delectable lobster meat. Given the richness of this soup, it’s a good one to try in the cup size as part of a combo, which includes a salad or sandwich and a drink for an extra $3. The garden vegetable panini is a good choice, as the light and fresh flavours of the fillings (sprouts, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, carrots, almonds, dried cranberries and feta) are a great foil for the big flavour of the soup.

So, do the broths and bisques of the Original Soup Man have the knee-weakening quality experienced by Elaine, George, Kramer and Jerry? Not quite. But for a product produced hundreds of miles away and reheated in a mall food court, they’re quite impressive. If the rumours of a new Eaton Centre food court featuring fresh and local products proves to be true, they might have something to worry about, but for now, the Original Soup Man is by far the tastiest and most enjoyable fast food option in the Yonge and Dundas area.