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The Best Of Everything

A little bit of Zoup! has gone a long way.

youthful partners in a wholesale spice
black bean with andoulle and green
business, whose fathers, Ed Ersher anci
chilies, Creole chicken and sausage
Local Columnist
the late Hanley Elias also were part- c'
gumbo, Thai shrimp, Kow Loon hot
ners in a food-related business, devel-
and
sour,
Cajun
shrimp
with
smoked
riginality plays a big role for
oped
their concept.
salmon,
lentil
with
smoked
turkey,
success in the restaurant
Eric, David and Phil spent
shrimp
and
crawfish
etouffee,
business ... And grabbing
eight
months creating
smoked salmon and wild
the brass ring of victory
recipes
and assembling
mushroom stew, Tuscan bean
many times depends upon the ingenu-
groups
of
six to 10 people
with smoked duck, etc.
ity of owners who are asked to come
who would meet weekly for
Zoup!
takes
what
some
peo-
up with something different.
tastings to decide whether
ple consider an appetizer or
People looking for new concepts
to "tweak them, kill them o
side
dish
and
elevates
it
to
a
appreciate the change from their
keep them."
nutritious,
fresh
and
hearty
everyday way of restaurant going.
Zoup! is a cafeteria-style
meal
...
A
16-ounce
bowl
of
In the case of Zoup!, which opened
operation
... Customers
soup, along with that hunk of
Sept. 28 on Northwestern Highway
DANNY
look
up
at
the big, lighted
fresh-baked bread, is for many
off 12 Mile Road in Franklin Plaza, it
RASKIN
board
...
get
samples if they'
more filling and nutritious
is a proven idea that many may have
wish ... select from the 12
Local
Columnist
than
most
sandwiches.
already heard about but never experi-
daily offerings ... and along,
Eric and David started cre-
enced.
with a selection of bread, I
ating
the
soups
in
1997
...
Zoup! is not a chain operation ... It
take their tray to a table in the 39-
They
began
with
15
and
kept
adding
is owned by Eric Ersher and David
seater restaurant.
... Their large kitchen, where the
Elias ... Only soup is available ...
There is also a special pick-up-only
soups
are
made,
is
in
the
Eastern
Mar-
Nothing else ... And all orders come
area
for the large carry-out business it
ket ... The ingredients are also stored
with a hunk of bread, sourdough or
does
... Pick-up customers fax orders,
in this space rented by Eric and David
multi-grain ... both made expressly for
phone them in or just come over and
...
where
Chef
Phil's
stoves
are
lit
for
Zoup!.
pick up what they want
All told, there are
... Plans are underway to
200 soups made by
enlarge the pick-up secto
Chef Phil Jones that
to make more room for
rotate daily ... 12 each
eat-in customers at the
day include four regu-
restaurant with its coffee,
lars ... chicken pot
house style decor.
pie, its best seller;
Or they can carry-out
herbed potato veg-
small, large and double I
etable; black bean
orders in the specially-
chili; and New Eng-
designed Zoup! custom
land clam chowder.
containers.
There's even low-
Also introduced by the
fat, vegetarian, dairy-
enterprising Eric and
free and spicy varieties
David is their Home- H-
each day ... Like crab
Zoup!, which is available
and mushroom chow-
frozen, to be heated at
der, tomato bisque,
home ... These varieties
pepperoni pizza,
are packaged in special
smoked salmon with
Zoup!'s Eric Ersher and David Elias.
half-gallon, boilable and
wild mushrooms and
microwavable pouches
Sante Fe chicken
that serve four to six people.
preparation
of
many
tastebud
experi-
chili.
Daily hours are Monday through
ences.
All Zoup! soups are completely nat-
Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Zoup!
is
a
direct
response
to
what
ural ... Never MSG or preservatives ...
When Zoup! first opened, soup
people kept telling Eric and David ...
And soup fans are receiving one-of-a-
lovers
were ecstatic ... Diehard soup
That despite the fact that soup is one
kind creations that simply aren't avail-
fans
who
had been stalking the store
of our most consistently relied upon
able in supermarkets, delicatessens or
awaiting its opening lined up and
staples
...
Americans
alone
consume
restaurants.
soon became regulars.
more than 10 billion bowls every year
Selections span the globe and the
It is surprising just how successful
...
good
soup
is
hard
to
find
consis-
spectrum of personal tastes ... curried
Zoup!
has been at transforming soup
tently.
Thai seafood, Jamaican Bay gumbo,
into
a
unique
and delicious meal ...
With this in mind, Eric and David,
Moroccan vegetable stew, chunky

DANNY RASKIN

Your choice of

S lunch
specials
daily

includes soup, salad

starting at $ 7.00

Try our
Shabu Shabu
dinner

includes vegetable and beef

Coming Soon?

Bento Box

Rice, Salad, Soup
and Sushi
Dine In and Carry Out

HOURS:
Mon.-Sat 11-10
Sun. 12-10

(248) 538-0664
fax (248) 538-0668

28972 Orchard Lake Rd.

12/18
1998

between - 12 and 13 Mile on
East side
Farmin • on Hills
other location in E. Lansing

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