Soup as an entree (restaurants, shrimp, bread, cream)

[robertpasa]

Soup is often an entree in Asian meals. Esp. in Japan or SE Asia. But not often in the west.

Is there a particular reason for it?

Remember the movie The Birdcage with Robin Williams? He was distressed that his aid didn't make an entree for a big dinner. Turned out, the soup was the entree. Forgot what it was. Not Asian food.

[jlawrence01]

We eat soup as an entree several times a month:

Spicy Lentil Soup with Sausage
Split Pea Soup with ham
Borscht (Cabbage)
Vegetable Soup with Beef
Pho

[evening sun]

In winter we often make a hearty soup for our main meal. it can be split pea, or a stuffed pepper soup, or vegetable & barley etc. they are substantial & very filling. If we make a big pot, it will be dinner & lunch for a few days. I think Westerners have dishes like stew or chili as a main course & they are kinda soupy.

[17thAndK]

Soup & a salad. Soup & a side. Soup & a sandwich.

[robertpasa]

I'm aware people eat soup and salad etc. I was thinking more, traditional Americans usually don't have a big soup as a dinner entree. Consider Vietnamese restaurants. Pho is what people think about a lot when they go to a Vietnamese place. Maybe bahn mi.

[StrkAliteN]

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode with Jerry and Baanya arguing over if soup is a meal ( The Armani suit episode )

I think soup is and can be an entrée meal. Albeit it not a big meal. But with a salad or roll / bread it constitutes an entrée in my book.

Chili is more or less a 'soup' and its quite a hearty meal / entrée

[Jean-Francois]

Originally Posted by robertpasa

Soup is often an entree in Asian meals. Esp. in Japan or SE Asia. But not often in the west.

Is there a particular reason for it?

Remember the movie The Birdcage with Robin Williams? He was distressed that his aid didn't make an entree for a big dinner. Turned out, the soup was the entree. Forgot what it was. Not Asian food.

Over here, (U.K.), and in France an entrée is the first course, (it translates as entry, or means of entry), what you mainly see listed in the U.S. as an appetiser, (you can spell it appetizer all day long if you wish, AFAIAK you’re wrong), so you’d find soup in U.K. and France, listed as an entrée.
What you call an entree, we call a main, in France mains are listed as les plâts principaux, or even le plat du jour, (dish of the day).
Dessert is the same in U.K. as in the the U.S., but in France may be listed as Pâtisseries, Desserts et Glacés.

[suzy_q2010]

Originally Posted by Jean-Francois

Over here, (U.K.), and in France an entrée is the first course, (it translates as entry, or means of entry), what you mainly see listed in the U.S. as an appetiser, (you can spell it appetizer all day long if you wish, AFAIAK you’re wrong), so you’d find soup in U.K. and France, listed as an entrée.
What you call an entree, we call a main, in France mains are listed as les plâts principaux, or even le plat du jour, (dish of the day).
Dessert is the same in U.K. as in the the U.S., but in France may be listed as Pâtisseries, Desserts et Glacés.

Is soup ever a main?

[EIL9]

Originally Posted by robertpasa

Soup is often an entree in Asian meals. Esp. in Japan or SE Asia. But not often in the west.

Is there a particular reason for it?

Remember the movie The Birdcage with Robin Williams? He was distressed that his aid didn't make an entree for a big dinner. Turned out, the soup was the entree. Forgot what it was. Not Asian food.

love that movie! i think it was sweet and sour peasant soup. but without the shrimp.

[ryanms3030]

I worked in Russia for a few months and they gave us homemade soup every day. It was generally for in between meals but all of the soups they made were hearty with meat and potatoes and topped off with a big dollop of real full fat sour cream. A lot of borscht and pickle soup. I never even thought about putting sour cream in soup before but I ended up looking forward to my daily bowl or three of soup