Review: Zoup! has great food, setting

Five out of Five Stars

By Mallory Stiles
Editor in Chief

With the weather being so awful, I needed something to chase away the chill. I decided to go to Zoup!, located at 214 S. Washington Square in downtown Lansing, and will happily be qualifying it as a five-star experience.

To be fair, I have been going to Zoup! for years, but as a result, I know it is good every time. I have never had a complaint and always leave wondering why I don’t go there more. Then life happens.

I used to walk back and forth to and from class when I first started attending LCC. I was working a $12 an hour job and there wasn’t always a lot of grocery money left over, but sometimes I splurged and ate out.

There was nothing worse than hiking miles, on the really cold days, by myself, into a darkening sky. Stopping in to the warm glow of Zoup! always helped.

There are bright, friendly, yellow walls and hanging lights over most tables to add a level of class. The front of the eatery is a shop-window setup, which provides a great view of the outside world.

My most recent meal came to $18.24 which sounds pricey, but I added a $3 tip because the service demanded it. I am a chronic taste-tester and today I got to try Cajun Chicken & Shrimp Gumbo on recommendation.

My order, though tempted to change, ended up to be my usual, which is a bowl of Lobster Bisque and Cali Chicken Sandwich. I would have gotten a lemonade – it’s fresh and promises minerals – but there was no time. 

The Lobster Bisque is creamy but not too thick and has real pieces of lobster that I couldn’t live without. The Cali Chicken Sandwich has roasted red peppers and mashed avocado with a roasted jalapeño ranch.

I’m hooked.