The Prairie Soup Company
Warming the soul on a hot summer day
This week, with my trusty guide, Caitlin, I crossed rivers, braved intersections and navigated empty parking lots in search of… soup. Yes, I said soup. Just because we’ve entered the furnace that is Iowa in July doesn’t mean one must deprive oneself of the comforting satisfaction of steaming broth.
The Prairie Soup Company is located on the Skywalk Level of Second Street SE in downtown Cedar Rapids. Unless you work downtown or have a regular reason to visit, there probably isn’t much cause to make your way to this location. Fortunately, I’m here to give you that little extra push out of your boring old office on the opposite side of the city.
Prairie Soup is locally owned and they make all of their soups daily, with their own made-from-scratch stock. Monday through Friday they offer no less than six varieties of soul-warming soup with a hunk of freshly-baked bread. They also offer prepared sandwiches and salads made-to-order.
The soups range from Grandma Lil’s Chicken Noodle to Tuscan Vegetable. There is a soup for every taste and preference. I went with the Southwest Corn with a side Asian Salad. Caitlin had the Chicken and Dumplings. She felt the Chicken and Dumplings was a bit on the thick side and I must say my Southwest Corn could have used a bit more broth but both were satisfyingly yummy.
My Asian Salad was a perfect compliment to the spicy soup. It was a refreshing blend of lettuce and cabbage topped with crispy wonton strips and ginger-orange vinaigrette. The wonton strips added a nice crunch and the dressing was bright and lively.
And for those naysayers that consider soup a winter option, The Prairie Soup Company is completely climate controlled and one might say a touch on the brisk side. They’ve got it all figured out.
Details: The Prairie Soup Company, 425 Second Street SE, Skywalk Level, Cedar Rapids; 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; (319) 362-0972; www.prairiesoup.com
