ANNOUNCER: Weaned on Campbell’s chicken noodle and tomato canned soups, the boys’ soupy palates have broadened considerably over the years. They still get a hankering now and then for trusty ol’ Campbell’s; maybe it’s the sodium they crave. At any rate, while they do enjoy an elaborate seven-course meal, there’s really nothing the boys look forward to more on occasion than a steaming bowl of soup flanked by warm, crusty bread. In some South Sound restaurants, the soup course consists of not much more than opening the Campbell’s can. But for others, soup is a centerpiece.  At Infinite Soups, the 500-square-foot soup shop next to City Lights Spirits and Pool, it’s said centerpiece.



JAKE: And what better way to chase off fall’s chill than to warm up from the inside out with a steaming bowl of soup? A rich, hearty, homemade soup or stew paired with crusty bread or tossed salad can be a meal in itself. And it can be one of the healthiest and most satisfying, as well.



JASON: Cut! Print it! OK, thanks everyone. Take your 30-minute lunch break and we’ll meet back to put the finishing touches on the soup commercial. Give me a break, Jake.



JAKE: Whatever.

Infinite Soups serves 20 to 30 different kinds of soups daily off a rotating list of around 60 soups, by the quart, bowl or cup, all under $7. Owner Wendy Clapp offers soup and bread for take-out only, although City Lights will let you bring her soup inside their pool joint. Nice.



I do need to ask a favor from our lovely readers. Please refrain from over sampling at Infinite Soups. I know they don’t mind if you sample everything, but I do. The lobby is smaller than my closet, which pushes the line out in the cold. To quote Larry David from “Curb Your Enthusiasm”: “You’re a sampling abuser! You’re abusing your sampling privileges!”



JASON: Forget the in-store sampling, that’s for timid eaters. I’ve been creating my own personal “soup tasting event” by ordering four to eight different soups in the 8-ounce size. I take them home, line them up and indulge in a mini buffet. I eat one bite of each and compare and contrast the flavors. The prices are cheap enough to justify the gluttony and how wrong could any of them be? After eating two different soups on my first visit, I’m hooked.



JAKE: I’m hooked on their smoke-flavored pozole. It’s a creamy concoction with pork, red chile, hominy, and I believe onions. I rush it home and introduce it to a tortilla or two on the side for a completely satisfying meal.



JASON: There’s a common theme with almost all of Infinite’s soups — that of rich, dominating flavors. Carolina Pork and Black Bean made my nose run, it was so spicy and virtually crimson in color from all the cayenne pepper or chili powder. Smoky salty pork competed with spicy bean and onion, but the red spice won. I needed extra napkins and chapstick for my lips. Just a warning, any soups leaning toward spicy are going to be full-throttle hot. There’s no half-ass in the heat department with any of their Latin- or African-inspired numbers.



JAKE: The Tuscan Chicken is a bowl of fresh flavors made with huge tomato chunks, fresh basil and herbs floating about, white beans and a bit too much salt. But for me, it’s always a toss-up at Infinite Soups between the Southern Yams & Bacon with its ultra creamy, nutty flavor, and the spicy Pork Verde with chunks of pork, celery and potato bouncing off oregano, basil, and poblano chili.



JASON: On the pasta tip, the Roasted Red Pepper Tortellini was everything I wanted with the exception of mildly overcooked tortellini, but who’s really complaining — not this guy. Fans of potato-based soups, of which I am one, will get into the Poblano Potato for its creamy, dreamy thickness.



Speaking of thick, Curry Brown Rice was the consistency of paste, but really, tasty paste. Thinner broth-based soups are definite winners as well, especially if you soak a roll with the juice for every bite. Sesame Chicken was packed with soft green peppers, white onion, and bits of chicken breast floating a chicken bouillon with a hint of sesame oil. Mushroom Marsala is a simple soup of buttery Marsala wine, vegetarian broth and quartered button mushrooms.



JAKE: Soup seems like an afterthought at so many places. Variety is definitely what sets Infinite apart. In addition to all the hearty meat-packed soups, they offer vegan and vegetarian choices that are actually good. We’re talking three to four of each every day. I eat meat with lusty abandon, but every now and again I listen to my doctor and opt for a meal sans flesh. Infinite Soups offers delivery, which is the greatest thing, um, ever.

Infinite Soups

Where: 445 Tacoma Ave. S., 253.274. 0232



When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily



Scene: A tiny, tiny space with a phonograph spinning records in the corner.



Menu: Soup, duh. And bread. Infinite Soups is take-out only.



Drinkies: Sodas and such



Damage: Cup $2, bowl $3.50, half-quart $4, and quart $7