Zoup: anyone been there.

I love their Lobster Bisque. It's about 5 bucks for a bowl, and their sandwiches are decent.

I'm craving the lobster bisque now.

Zoup is great but be ready to pay through the nose. Worse than Panera pricing.

No soup for you!

Their chicken pot pie soup is awesome!

dbw hit it on the head - awesome food, nut can be pricy.

that being said, if they built one in west toledo or the bedford area, I'd patronize it

Agree on the chicken pot pie soup: great, but expensive.

Applebee's way back in the day had a awesome chicken pot pie.

An entire business based around microwaving frozen soup and getting people to pay top dollar...they are geniuses.

I love their soups, I like their crab bisque even more then the lobster.

Hank, we know you get off by going around pissing on threads, but once again you are wrong.

Another epic fail brought to you courtesy of Hanky.

If you are a soup lover, they have some of the best tasting and variety available. Yes it's on the pricey side but I think you get what you pay for. A bowl of soup is very filling (like a meal in itself) at Zoups.

"An entire business based around microwaving frozen soup and getting people to pay top dollar...they are geniuses."

Almost as smart as bottling and selling filtered tap water.

Thanks for the responses will definitely check it out. I'm a sucker for chowder and any kind of veggie soup. Will try the bisque.

RobRob: agree I can make a meal out of a soup and a nice piece of bread. So $5-6 doesn't sound bad. Probably healthier than normal fast food places and around the price for a combo meal.

"I can make a meal out of a soup ..."

Soup's not a meal.

"Hank, we know you get off by going around pissing on threads, but once again you are wrong. Another epic fail brought to you courtesy of Hanky."

I'm glad someone's noticing, love you Ryan, really I do (a rare instance of sincerity from me) but you are wrong on this one. I went through serve-safe classes with the guys that opened this place. Let's say they weren't to focused on fresh food preparation.

To be sure, I just called Zoup. Here's a direct quote from them.

"They come in premade, frozen, and we heat them up in a retherm."

So, I guess its a "retherm" and not a microwave, but I maintain that this idea was created by geniuses.

I eat in there all the time. The owner is great and knows his regulars quite well, I couldn't image much funny business getting him.

I should clarify, I didn't mean to disparage the owner in any way. I don't know him on a personal level, but i'm sure he's a great guy.

the soups aren't freshly made? i'll pass. why pay so much for something made in a factory? gross...

Well upso, it's a franchised chain restaurant. They get you in and out quick at lunch and the food is pretty good, but it's not homemade for sure. As for frozen being bad, when I make chili or etouffee I often make a ton of it because of the work and freeze the rest.

first off.. next time you maek Etouffee I want to try some! :)

Secondly.. I totally appreciate the franchise aspect. I just didn't realize it was a franchise (something I typically avoid)

Bust seriously... let me know next time you're making Etouffee

I still have a pound of crawfish tail from Rohr’s Fish market in the freezer; I’ll just have to pick up some shrimp. I’ll try to make a batch of Etouffee toward the end of the month and let you know. I usually put it over rice, but it’s good as a thick soup, it’s just so rich from all the butter, the rice acts as a good counter.

BTW Speaking or Rohr’s over on Monroe, they have a really good clam chowder, I always get a big container when I go over there.

Soup's not a meal - if the patron is satisfied with it, who is to say what is and isnt a meal?

An entire business based around microwaving frozen soup and getting people to pay top dollar Again - so what if they satisfy their customers?

I think paying $5 for a cup of coffee is moronic, but Starbucks and their clones make millions doing it and if they ever stopped there would be much wailing and gnashing of teeth from their patronage.

Ya find a niche, ya fill it, and ya make money - very American!

"so what if they satisfy their customers?"

I'm serious that this business model is genius, I know I can come off as sarcastic at times. However, the implication of their name Zoup: FRESH soup company, is a bit misleading if not purposely deceptive. (and again this criticism is directed at the parent company, not the local franchise owners)

"... who is to say what is and isnt a meal?"

Kenny Bania, that's who.

I like their soups, frozen or not. I like the Mac 'n Cheese soup that they have. You can ask for samples of all the soups that they have for free.

I haven't tried Zoup, since it's across town from me. We probably will check it out one of these days.

Coffee, if you want some really yummy, made-fresh soup, try Andre's Lounge on Summit St. just north of downtown. Seriously, their clam chowder is to die for, especially if you take a late lunch and they're down near the bottom of the pot. They have seafood bisque nearly every day, and the chicken noodle is just a big bowl o'noodles with chicken hunks and veggies, and just enough broth to be able to call it soup. Delish.

Andre's is Toledo's best-kept secret. And damn, I just let it out...

Andres is one of our favorite secrets as well. Drinks are dirt cheap at night and the quirky atmosphere with all of the paper mâché celebrity busts is unmatched in the city.

Tell me more about Andre's? I have never heard of this place. Is it kid friendly for dinner? Do they take credit cards? How's the food?

I wouldn’t exactly call it kid friendly. It’s a bar really that has above average food for a bar. Although some may say it’s a restaurant that has a good bar. Soup and sandwiches were good from what I can recall.

Just don’t get confused and pull into The Diplomats parking lot instead. I have heard the food isn’t very good there.

yeah.. not kid friendly at all. it's a bar first and foremost. they just happen to have great soups and sandwiches as well.

Does Andre's have takeout and where can I find a menu?

I would say yes they probably do have takeout, but you're going to need to stop by to check out the menu. they don't have a website or anything. this place is very under the radar, and I think they want it that way.

http://maps.google.com/places/us/oh/toledo/n-summit-st/1337/-andre's-lounge?hl=en&gl=us

Sweet, thanks for the info. I will have to check it out sometime! I love finding out about places like this around Toledo!

The sandwich and salad menu stays the same. The salads are HUMONGOUS. The soup menu changes daily, although you can call ahead to find out what they're serving.

There is no printed menu -- everything is written on boards on the wall. And you don't get a bill; you just go up to the bar and tell 'em what you had, and then they ring it up.

Oh, and the heads are carved, painted wood. (They also have them at Mugshots down the street.) Word is, some guy offered to carve them years ago in exchange for beer, but that might just be an urban legend.

That's a cool story Annie, love history like that.

Was talking with a guy at A Novel Idea and he recommended a local sci fi author. Said the author would go downtown to his favorite restaurant and sit and write it. (Not sure of the name though) only local history like that I know :)

I thought they were paper mache...

Whoops, sorry. Not wood, but nopt too far off, either.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JUAxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hwIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5439,6143151&dq=eddie-york+wood&hl=en