Local soup fans already know, Mystic Soup Co. worth finding

February 17, 2016 11:01 pm • Last Updated: February 18, 2016 10:01 pm

Clockwise from bottom, roasted zucchini and white bean soup, red pepper bisque with smoked gouda and shrimp, and New Englnd corn chowder, all from Mystic Soup Co. (Jill Blanchette/The Day)
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The concept is simple. Two or three soups, always one vegetarian, prepared each day using homemade stocks and fresh ingredients, along with a selection of creative paninis, open six days, only for lunch. That's how the Mystic Soup Co.'s been rolling since 2008.

Funny thing is, apparently no one can find the place. When you scroll down the Yelp reviews, the word "hidden" jumps out time and again. Undaunted, I plugged its Williams Street (Route 1) address into my phone and followed the directions. Even so, I missed it on the first pass and had to double back and try again.

Mystic Soup Co. has a home in the brick building behind Sea Swirl. There's no sign you can see from Route 1. There's no sign you can see from the parking lot. Just turn into Sea Swirl on the water side, park, and walk to the back, right corner of the brick building. Head toward the black metal table and chairs shivering on the edge of the partially frozen cove. Get close enough and you'll finally see the sign, the steamy window and the blue door. You'll also smell the soup.

But here's the thing. The place may be hidden, but that doesn't mean it's hurting for business. Plenty of people know about it, maybe some are even friends of yours, but they're keeping it to themselves.

I was there twice, once on a Saturday and once on a Monday, and both times, there was a steady stream of stealthy patrons, checking to make sure they weren't followed as they hurried in, then clutching a brown bag as they snuck back out.

So don't even think about a late arrival. If you get there after 1 o'clock, you may find only one choice of soup left. Or worse, no soup for you.

All the soups are the same price, so whether yours features lobster, quinoa or beans, you'll pay $3.65 for 8 ounces, $4.75 for 12 ounces, $5.75 for 16 ounces and $9.75 for 32 ounces. In addition to the fresh soups, the shop also has previous day's offerings refrigerated in 16-ounce containers but for the 12-ounce price. A bargain.

The paninis are $8.25 and sound quite good. There's the Parma, prosciutto, basil, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar; the Carne, prime rib, carmelized onions and gorgonzola; and the Pat, turkey, chipotle aioli, provolone and applewood bacon. But I didn't sample them. I focused on the soup. Here's what I found.

Lobster and asparagus mac and cheese: I thank whatever fates were involved with having this special — technically not soup, but you can eat it with a spoon — on the menu for my first visit. This elixir, clearly meant to show the rest of the world how it's done, featured unassuming elbows floating in a pool of delicately cheesy, creamy sauce that was mildly sweet with onion and spicy with black pepper. Tender, fresh hunks of claw meat, so many of them, were punctuated occasionally by small cylinders of asparagus. Nothing was overcooked. This is no gummy, processed cheese cliché. It's a classic. I bought a 12-ounce portion, but once I tasted it, I wished I had purchased a quart.

Roasted cauliflower and celery root bisque: Celery root, also known as celeriac, is a hard, wrinkly, brown, slightly hairy thing that would never win a beauty contest but would sweep the flavor portion of the program every time. This bisque made a lovely partnership from the celery root's earthy, almost spicy notes and the sweet richness of the roasted cauliflower. The result was thick and slightly chunky, a subtle, hardy, healthy bowl.

Ribeye chili: This one reminded me of the chili my mom used to make, mildly spiced, no real heat, but full of the fresh flavors of all the ingredients, particularly the sweet bell peppers. The chili was studded with chunks of meltingly tender beef, red and white beans, and plenty of those fresh peppers, all floating in a not-too-thick tomato broth. Delicious.

Collard green soup with lentils and quinoa: This good-for-you soup was thick with chopped collards, chunks of carrot and celery, brown lentils and quinoa curls, all in a tangy broth. I spied some chunks of tomato, but the broth was clear. A righteous bowl of deliciousness.

New England corn chowder: This classic was made ultra creamy, buttery and decadent, a dairy dream of a soup, a perfect reward for working out in the cold all morning or a wonderful prelude to a long afternoon nap. There were plenty of small, tender potato cubes, chewy corn niblets and tiny, sweet bits of shallot and fresh herbs, enough for every bite.

Roasted zucchini and white bean: There were too many veggies here to identify them all — small, tender zucchini chunks and creamy white beans, greens and carrots and onions and, wait, was that a potato? Coupled with a mild tomato broth, this soup was rich and filling, and it would make you feel good about what you had for lunch.

Red pepper bisque with smoked gouda and shrimp: This fiery orange, velvety smooth bisque was so good, it made me wonder what I've been doing with my life. The bell peppers not only brought that amazing color but also a complex, sweet freshness, which was beautifully elevated and transformed by the addition of the smoky gouda cheese. My 8-ounce portion only had one medium-size shrimp in it, but somehow I didn't mind. The shrimp was a lovely intermission in the otherwise all-pepper-and-cheese production, but I think one was all that was needed for this size portion. This soup was elegant, downright fancy even, a great candidate for serving it to guests and letting them think you made it.

If it's soup you want, set your GPS and get there early. The people that already know about this place know what they're doing.

j.blanchette@theday.com