In a runaway victory, soup wins for the month!
Ramen, beef noodle, pho, chowders, stews, and whatever your creativity and stomach dictate! Begin!
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I love soups and my favorite grocery store soups are from Sprouts. They have an EXCELLENT chicken noodle. I also break the soup bar rolls at Bristol farms and take a scoop of Matzo ball soup and a scoop of chicken noodle to make the perfect Matzo ball soup with noodles.
–Dommy!
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I got two soups today from 3 Ways which is on Venice Boulevard, across from the Smart and Final in the Palms/Culver City area. This is the new place from the folks who had done Skratch/Choppe Choppe in Culver City. Today I had the mushroom brie soup. This is like my kryptonite, I could just drink it. The other was a very good butternut squash curry soup. http://www.eat3ways.com
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Mushroom and brie sounds DIVINE. 
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Cold weather incoming, time for Soup! 
Soup (w/ Noodles) at Anzutei Ramen.
Nagoya-style Shoyu Ramen (listed simply as “Ramen”):
A really light, delicate Chicken & Pork Bone Broth with Soy Sauce accents. It’s enjoyable to sip because it’s NOT overly laden with the entire pig like the more popular Tonkotsu places right now, LOL. 
Not as magical as Kitakata Bannai, but surprisingly good! Love the fragrance of Green Onion mixed with it!
The Chashu Pork is fresh seared when served. It’s super pungent (in a good way), while being super tender.
Their Noodles are so-so. But the overall effect is a great bowl of Ramen and a light warming soup on a cold winter day. 
Tantanmen (Sesame, Special Blend Chile Oil Flavored Ramen Noodles):
I’ve been wary of “Tantanmen” in the U.S. ever since Chinmaya opened up a few years back, touting the Japanese version of Dan Dan Mian. Back then, it was… so-so when it was “on,” and pure no bueno when the opening chef left.
But wow! Anzutei’s Tantanmen is SO GOOD! It looks like inferno hell (pure red), but it’s only lightly spicy. Super fragrant Sesame Oil notes, Stir Fried Ground Chicken mixed with some Szechuan Peppercorns and other magic, LOL. Seriously we couldn’t stop eating this Ramen, and the soup was still light enough to sip even after the noodles were done!
Bowl of Awesome!
Anzutei Ramen
633 S Spring St
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 688-0011
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Another great soup today:
Cafe Gratitude
White Bean and Organic Kale Soup
Cafe Gratitude’s Daily Soup today was a White Bean and Organic Kale Soup. It was fantastic! 
The Cannellini Beans were soft, and the mirepoix base was spot-on and really fragrant in its simplicity: Onions, Carrots and Celery. The Kale was super tender and the whole thing came together and warmed up the chilly day.
One of the better Soups I’ve had the last month or so.
Cafe Gratitude
300 S Santa Fe Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 929-5580
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A week earlier but too good not to show it. Pork neck stew at Jong Ro Shul Lung Tang in Garden Grove. The mint really makes a difference.
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Looks delish Porthos! 
How does it compare with Ham Ji Park in K-Town?
Never been to Ham Ji Park but if one were to judge a pork neck stew by its photo this version looks tastier to me 
Cazuela Paisa. Big bowl of bean stew with chicharones at El Porton. Decent but probably should have ordered the ajiaco (only available on Saturdays)
Link below is to the ajiaco.
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Beef stew (small) and the infamous bone soup at Trieu Chau. A huge bowl of 2 pork joints with ample meat falling off the bones and gelatin and connective tissue. $2.50 a bowl. Best hangover cure ever.
What sets Trieu Chau apart is the huge vat of bones simmering on high at all times. The result is a rich murky broth that is sweet in a savory sense. The broth at lesser places is watery and clear in comparison. The difference is as big as home made chicken stock and the canned supermarket stuff. They use this delicious meat elixir on most of their noodles, including the legendary house special noodles.
Come early. By 10am the wait was already 30 deep (I was number 18 and they were calling number 90, but some of those were parties of 4-9). Turnover is lightening quick and they probably move at least 100 people every 1-2 hours. It’s a Little Saigon institution in the same way Langers and Katz are.
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Oh, that sounds and looks marvelous…
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@Porthos awesome! So are the items you mentioned and show pics of the must get items at Trieu Chau? Or are they known for other stuff?
2 bowls of soup and protein with no carbs. Not bad.
Another Soup for our DOTM:
El Sinaloense
Sinaloan restaurant, featuring Menudo Blanco:
Menudo Blanco is a bit more rare than the usual Menudo. It was spot-on! Light, warm bowl of tendon, hominy, tripe, pig’s feet. Not overly salty, and the wheel of garnishes let you customize. A bit of Red Onion, Cilantro, Oregano and you’re good to go!
Loved their Handmade Tortillas as well. Slightly thick, piping hot, a bit of crisped outside, but soft and pillowy inside.
El Sinaloense Restaurant
7601 State St.
Huntington Park, CA 90255
(323) 581-1532
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Remembered @CiaoBob’s recommendation a while back and had to get some Korean Pork Neck Stew on!
Ham Ji Park
Place was really busy when we went. Their free Panchan was rather simple, basic:
Almost every table was ordering their BBQ Ribs, so we threw that in here before the Pork Soup / Stew:
The Ribs were… OK. Slightly sweet, nice char, it had the familiar taste I’ve had at many KBBQ places. Tasty enough.
Pork Neck & Potato Stew:
This was spot-on for a chilly winter evening (a few nights ago). Despite the red color it was only mildly spicy. It tasted a bit like a Sundubu (Tofu Stew) base of flavors, but deeper with an awesome Pork broth. Loved the tender Pork and Cartilage.
I need to try @Porthos recommended restaurant next time to compare. Can’t wait.
Ham Ji Park
3407 W 6th St., Suite 101C
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 365-8773
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@Chowseeker1999 They are actually best known for their house special noodle soup which contains duck leg, 2 kinds of chicken, pork, shrimp, liver, fish cake, pork balls, and bits of pork fat. You get to pick if you want thick or thin egg or rice noodles. Add wontons for $1 more ($9 all in). It’s a monster portion but I’ve seen true champions do both yellow egg noodles and white rice noodles.
People will try to tell you the fried dough is necessary. It’s not. The true unicorn is the shau mai. Usually sold out by 9. It’s not really shui mai but more steamed fatty pork meatball. Ask for that if you happen to arrive before 10am.
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