People drive from far and wide to taste the soups of Thyme Cafe & Market. The market came about because of this soup phenom – they couldn’t keep up with the demand! Can their soup really be this good? I wanted to find out, so I invited a friend for an evening out to try it myself.
We arrived at the Santa Monica location and were greeted by a friendly staff in a warm, family-oriented environment. The restaurant was clean and casual with a high-end feel and moderate prices.
We ordered off the menu at the counter, where two soups are always available – fresh and hot! Made in their own kitchens with the freshest ingredients, the menu always provides one soup for the meat lover and another for the vegetarian (their vegetarian offering is vegan whenever possible). While they use organic ingredients when available, the daily offering is on constant rotation based on availability – and there is always something new!
As we sat down with a bottle of excellent California syrah for some catching up, our soups arrived and we were taken care of at our table for the remainder of our meal, giving us the feeling of being in a high end, yet relaxed, restaurant. The day’s menu included Chicken Enchilada and Cream of Mushroom – both to die for! We started with the mushroom soup and it melted in our mouths, so savory and creamy and filled with large slices of fresh mushrooms. The chicken enchilada soup was next and, filled with shredded chicken and smothered in cheese and topped with tortilla strips, it tasted exactly like a chicken enchilada! A really fresh, prepared with love chicken enchilada!
Both soups could have served as a meal on their own, but we decided to supplement our soups with a fish taco that was large and fresh, with fish and a half of an avocado and greens with a light but flavorful sauce. It was just like eating a garden – it was that fresh!
Don’t have time to sit for a meal? Well, like I said, the popularity of these soups was so high that Thyme Cafe found it necessary to add a Market to keep up with demand. Here you’ll find all your favorite soups in pint or quart sizes, refrigerated or frozen, ready to go for a quick dinner at home. Also, the “Gourmet To Go Menu” provides offerings for pre-order and can be packaged as requested – party, picnic, family dinner, gift – for pick up in their store.
And, where it all began, Thyme Cafe & Market provides full-service custom catering that can be ordered in their restaurant or by phone. No matter the occasion, Thyme Cafe & Market will take care of all the arrangements, from the food to the entertainment to the floral decor. And don’t forget to include their many amazing soup options for your guests!
My friend and I agreed – we would drive far and wide to taste the soups of the Thyme Cafe & Market. These soups are a must for anyone passing through Santa Monica California!