What better way to combat the boredom of a Saturday morning trip to see the mortgage adviser than and ad hoc visit to ‘La Soupe du Jour’ a recent addition the thriving gourmet metropolis that is Warrington.
I head down an alleyway located between a charity shop and Warrington market, I think you will agree the hallmark of quality. Bravely tucked away from the high street, avoiding the mass McDonald traffic and appealing to people who seek out something new (or shoppers heading to and from the market). The street in which they have pitched up their soup shop would not be out of place smelling of stale urine on this bleak February afternoon, let’s hope it’s not a sign of things to come.
Now speaking of signs, if you happen to turn the wrong way and walk into the wall opposite ‘La Soupe du Jour’ when you are picking yourself up off the floor you will encounter a bicycle and a well-placed sign advertising ‘La Soupe du Jour’ and by well-placed I mean specifically for Hobbits, Oompa Loompa’s, passed out drunks or little people.
I walk in and the place has a cheap feel, not necessarily in a bad way. It’s not trying to be more than it is so I am torn between understated and shit; think pine benches, stools and picnic tables. I choose to sit on the stools around the edge giving a spectacular view of a wall, the passing elderly and chavs.
I spot the lunch deal, £3.50 for soup and a roll and … a piece of fruit. Fruit is bullshit, and a banana is the only real choice as the other offerings have seen better days (or weeks).
I opt for a Pea and Ham soup and a cheese (cheese improves all foods) topped roll and upgrade my purchase by adding a coffee for a reasonable £1.50. A fiver for a feed and a beverage, looking good so far, or not as I receive my Pound land / school dinner tray, plate and bowl combo.
I take my seat with the promise my coffee will be brought over, I take this in good faith from the “chain-wanking ring-tone fanatic” who serves me, maybe it’s a Saturday job. He looks disinterested or of below average intelligence either way. The 3rd time I chase my drink it finally triggers that the banana must be to use to signal the service staff to deliver what I have previously paid for.
The food is reasonably priced, of less than reasonable quality and well below reasonable service. The taste is Tesco soup, not finest or the fancy stuff in the fridge. Not even Heinz, who I think I am safe in saying are recognised as the daddy in the soup bowl shaped arena.
I finish and leave underwhelmed by my experience and wondering what I will find next time I venture in this direction as I don’t anticipate this place lasting.
So disappointed by my experience I head over to the local supermarket and price up the component parts of a similar (but frankly better) meal to be prepared and consumed in the comfort of my own home.
Every man has his price and ‘La Soupe du Jour’ I judge yours to be £0.85p
The calculation breaks down as so:
- 1 tin of quality Heinz soup
- A quarter of a superior bread product
- One eighth of a pack of 8 bananas (Fruit is bullshit but I want an authentic comparison)
Excluding the coffee, this is £2.65 cheaper and of a higher quality.
I struggle to say anything positive about this place, maybe I could comment on their décor, an attempt to be quirky and keeping with the soup theme they display several copies of ‘Chicken Soup For the Soul’. It doesn’t work and the books look lonely, sad even, sat on the end of a table top, never to be read.
Rating: “Please bladder, please let me piss in the soup”
El Food One Says
El Food Two was on his own for this visit. To be honest, the wanky name gives the game away before you’ve even stepped foot in the place. Sounds bullshit, is bullshit. El Food Two should know better. Also he used the word décor during the review, so the wankiness is rubbing off, so to speak.
You can book a table at ‘La Soup Du Jour’ via email on lasoupedujour@yahoo.co.uk