Half-devoured tomato bisque and veggie and hummus panini.
Signature Kitchen glows green at the corner of 5th and Washington St. in Hoboken.
It recently replaced the Original Soup Man, a franchise that once charged me about $10 for a glorified grilled cheese sandwich. I couldn’t really figure out what to make of the new restaurant at first, but one cold evening when I was craving soup that hadn’t been stored in a can for six months, I decided to stop in for their soup de jour.
The restaurant takes on multiple identities – diner, sandwich shop, sushi bar, and café. As I flipped through the three pages of sandwich selections and watched a man rolling sushi just behind the cash register, my decision became much more complicated. Then I asked one of the workers what soup was available, and he promptly rattled off at least ten kinds of soup.
I don’t necessarily subscribe to astrology, but doesn’t he know that it’s a horrible idea to give a Libra too many options?
Tummy rumbling, I finally decided on tomato bisque and a vegetable panini with hummus spread. (Note: I cannot believe that Microsoft Word still does not recognize “panini” as a legitimate word, since these constitute at least 50% of my diet during the week).
I ordered, then waited. And waited. And waited a little more. The sandwich took a New York minute, but the soup took much longer. As I stared at my cell phone, wishing I hadn’t gotten rid of Tetris, I couldn’t figure out why the soup was taking so long to appear. Weren’t there just a couple of vats in the kitchen, just waiting to be scooped?
Nope, wrong. The gentleman behind the counter was actually making the soup himself. And what resulted was a container of creamy, piping hot awesome. The veggie panini was crispy and delicious, and paired well with the soup. Together, they made the perfect meal, and I was full and happy for a total of $12.
The restaurant’s Web site is under construction, but you can stop in for a bite at 502 Washington St. in Hoboken, NJ.
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