thé Cup: better ingredients making a better you, a better world & a better tomorrow

These days, Mother Nature can be such a tease. As soon as she brings out the sun, I begin to crave corn on the cob, watermelons and grilled hamburgers. But with all the hail, wind and rain she dropped on us this week, I have found myself desperate for a cozy meal to warm up to. Cold, hungry and on the prowl to find the best soup in town– I was led to The Cup, hidden away behind Capital Parkway and Randolph Street, where I enjoyed undeniably one of Lincoln’s best soups in town.

But don’t just take my word for it. In The Lincoln Journal Star, Jeff Korbelik named The CUP “one of Lincoln’s top five places to enjoy a cup or bowl of soup,” with the criteria that the restaurant must have a reputation for its soups, and the soups must be homemade.

The soups today were the Tuscan Vegetable and the Hungarian Mushroom. I let Anne order first (knowing I would order the other so that we could try both ☺). She tried the Hungarian Mushroom.

This cream based soup, adorned with finely chopped Hungarian mushrooms and spiced with Dill, has a rich and slightly pungent taste. Just a cup of this delicious soup was enough for me, but it is my absolute favorite to soak the pieces of fresh baked bread in!

I don’t consider myself to be a “vegetable soup” girl and usually go for the exotic soup flavors that I know I can’t recreate or find in a can. The Tuscan Vegetable Soup, however, made me a believer in this simple, yet spectacular soup. Its light broth is brilliantly seasoned with spices that make it good enough to stand-alone. The Tuscan Vegetable Soup is generously adorned with a variety of vegetables- tomatoes, onions, carrots, potatoes and chickpeas to name a few.

We also split the Salmon Panini, made with grilled salmon, provolone cheese, roma tomatoes, fresh spinach & tarragon aioli. The aioli gave the salmon a subtle sweetness that complemented the flavors of the fresh tomatoes and spinach perfectly. The provolone cheese melted it all together under the freshly baked Panini bread. I have tried many of The Cup’s fresh paninis, and I think this has become my new favorite. Make that a favorite of Anne's too, she stole my first bite!

Each soup, Panini and salad is elegantly created with the freshest ingredients to provide you with flavor, quality, and nutrition- giving you just another reason to indulge in one of the exquisite pastries or baked goods. Since Kristin Rozsa opened the Cup in October of 2006, I have never finished a meal there without a dessert. Today, it was the lovely lemon poppy seed muffin.

The Cup offers 36 assortments of cupcakes and 12 flavors of cakes. Like all the other menu items, the pastry and baked goods use fresh, quality ingredients that make them exceptional. Speaking of exceptional… The Cup only serves certified organic and fair-trade coffee. Drinking a latte or espresso macchiato has never been so tasty or gratifying. Any purchase of their full line of coffees supports a noble commitment to small farmers, the health of the environment and the health of your own body.

The Cup has a pleasant atmosphere with flowers sweetly placed on each table and local artwork to brighten up its burgundy and green walls. The space is well lit and its ceilings are high. No matter how long you bury your nose in your books or computer, you never feel claustrophobic. Thanks to the Cup’s delicious menu and charming ambiance, April Showers will rain on my parade no more. With an extensive menu of hot drinks, coffee, tea flavors, deserts and pastries of all sorts, you will surely become a patron of The Cup yourself- rain or shine.