As the last days of cold weather linger on through March, there’s a question that I continue to ponder: Is there anything better than a hot bowl of soup on a cold winter day?
The truth is, there is something better than that. It’s a choice of dozens of different hot soups on a cold winter day. Luckily, the cold days and hot soups can be found in Westchester at Armonk Country Kitchen.
Opened in 2002, Armonk Country Kitchen is known for their fresh, homemade recipes, including delicious chicken fingers, the popular sesame chicken, and “ACK’s” kale salad. It’s classic comfort food done right and of course that includes the soups.
Making your way to the very back of Armonk Country Kitchen, you’ll find a soup bar with more than 80 soups on constant rotation. You read that right. Armonk Country Kitchen has more than 80 creations that they cycle throughout the year.
Every soup starts with fresh ingredients like kale, zucchini, eggplant, peppers and of course, garlic. Chef Johnny Larios said that the key to their success is using fresh ingredients, from the first to the very last. He and owner Michael Furgiuele have spent years perfecting each recipe.
While their chicken noodle and turkey chili are always on the menu, Chef Larios said that the lentil quinoa is the most popular specialty soup on the menu. That point was contested by almost every member of the staff, each of whom seemed to think their favorite was the most popular.
While Larios creates the soups daily, the recipes were originally devised by Furgiuele, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Their teamwork has led to newer offerings such as gluten-free soups, which they began serving last year.
If you’re from Armonk, there’s no doubt that you’ve already experienced Armonk Country Kitchen. It’s generally filled to capacity during lunch and has some awesome options to take home for dinner during the evening hours. With a constant barrage of competitors popping up in Armonk and the surrounding communities, Country Kitchen remains a top spot for soup in Westchester.
5 Must-Orders at Armonk Country Kitchen:
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1. Chicken Dumpling
A thick blend of dumplings, whole white meat chicken and veggies make this a perfect wintertime meal.
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2. Lentil Quinoa
Originally created because too much quinoa was cooked for a different recipe, this combination of their classic lentil soup and quinoa has become one of the restaurants staples.
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3. Spicy Chicken
Created using special chilies imported from Peru, the spicy chicken soup will leave you nice and warm (and possibly sweating).
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4. ACK’s Roasted Vegetable Soup
Another accidental creation, this soup combines “every vegetable we’ve got in the kitchen” according to Larios.
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5. Turkey Chili
Served daily, the turkey chili is rich and spicy with a deep smoky quality to it. It’s something that can serve as both a full meal, or as a warm-up to your main course.
