New York Soup Exchange

It's all about timing

by Justine Kerr

on the cheap

Fasika, April 20 Darwin's Ltd., April 13 Joe Sent Me, April 6

If nothing else, New York Soup Exchange is the most cyber-savvy stop for soup in Boston. You never actually have to step foot inside the restaurant to be a regular. If you get on their lunch list, they'll fax you their soup menu (around 15 varieties that change daily). If you visit www.nysoupexchange.com you can scan the menu and place an order, and if you live (or at least eat) within a reasonable distance, they'll deliver steaming soup to your door.

That said, what actually arrives -- sealed in heat-retaining blue and green containers -- can vary in quality from creamy, spot-hitting perfection to watery, bottom-of-the-tureen remnants. A good meal here seems to be all about timing. You may not want to go during the off hours (late afternoon, for instance); we found these were the times when we were most likely to get sub-par soup. But if you hit it right, usually right around the lunch and dinner rushes, you'll be rewarded handsomely. We sampled some of the finest, creamiest sweet-potato soup ($4.50) around. And the clam chowder is clam-full, the flavor deepened with chunks of smoked bacon ($5).

The New York Soup Exchange is located at 3 Center Plaza, at Government Center. It's open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (617) 973-6973.

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