Meritage's matzo ball soup: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 37

By Joy Summers Wed., Mar. 6 2013 at 10:55 AM

Categories: 50 Favorite Dishes

Chicken soup with matzo ball

It's the simple things in life that bring the greatest satisfaction. A sunny, warm day in spring, a pair of jeans worn in just right, and a steaming bowl of perfect soup.

See also:

2012 Best Wine List: Meritage

2012 Best Restaurant for Romance: Meritage

Top 10 best chicken wings

Meritage may be best known for oysters and crispy pommes frites. Its killer cassoulet is still on the menu, and smoked, confit wings are an astoundingly rich take on a bar-food favorite. Chef Russell Klein's French restaurant does elegant decadence well. What might come as a surprise to some fans is that it also serves a lovely bowl of matzo ball soup.

Tendrils of chicken-scented steam waft from the pitcher as the broth is poured over the matzo ball as it's served. The matzo is as tender as a mother's love. The broth is rich with succulent chicken essence seasoned with little leaves of dill. The carrots, cut into perfect, tiny dice, are just toothy enough to add some substance -- nubs of vegetal sweetness. It's a bowl of bliss.

50 Favorite Dishes:

No. 50: Somos Peru's crema volteada
No. 49: Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub's waffle battered chicken sandwich
No. 48: Namaste Cafe's bison mamacha
No. 47: MidNord's Argentinian empanadas
No. 46: Krungthep's Thai sausage
No. 45: Eat Shop's shrimp salad
No. 44: Icehouse's savory eclair
No. 43: Cajun 2 Geaux's beignets
No. 42: A Cupcake Social's dulce de leche cupcake
No. 41: French Hen's Creole biscuits and gravy
No. 40: The Gray House's cabbage and cava salad
No. 39: Foxy Falafel's curry falafel
No. 38: Republic's ricotta fritters