Last week the New York Times reported on an emerging field of dietary study that focuses not just on how food affects weight but the ways it influences mood. It turns out the things we call comfort food don’t actually make us feel better, while seafood, leafy greens, nuts and dark chocolate do. In my own unscientific study, I’ve found that a bowl of soup provides warmth and comfort on cold winter days. Human beings have sought solace in a meal of hot, meat-infused broth fortified with vegetables since they discovered fire. Every culture around the world has modified these early dishes by adding dumplings, noodles, fresh herbs, vegetables and thin slices of meat. In Vancouver, many restaurants serve large bowls of restorative soup. Here are four that I recently enjoyed. Some of these soups derive from recipes the owners brought with them from their home countries, such as Vietnam and Korea. The soups are a mix of dutiful copies of those found in these far away places and creations devised with available ingredients to satisfy local tastes or the chef’s culinary creativity. Special Combo Pho Pho Haven, 2014 Main St.; 360-718-7360; facebook.com/phohavenvancouverwa Pho Haven, located in a converted Victorian home, offers Vietnamese classics such as shrimp and pork salad rolls, banh mi sandwiches, and vermicelli rice noodle dishes known as bun. But on a cold day, a bowl of the restaurant’s fragrant pho broth layered with rice noodles, slices of tender meat, and fresh herbs provides a calming respite. Owner Thuy Huynh brings recipes from her home country to Uptown Vancouver.

Making pho broth for the Special Combo Pho ($12.95 for small, $13.95 for large) is a delicate process and lots of work. Broth is integral to a good bowl of pho, so Huynh uses a carefully prepared bone broth, with fresh beef bone and marrow bones (for sweetness) simmered for at least eight hours and then seasoned with fresh herbs and spices such as ginger, cinnamon, star anise and cloves. The slices of brisket and flank steak are cooked to the right tenderness and texture. The small bowl of broth and tender meat topped with slices of onions and green onions is generous. Condiments and fresh herbs come on the side. The clear, spice- and herb-infused broth provides a flavorful base for the tender meat and noodles. Kaopoon Nam Gai Nom Nom Restaurant and Grill, 801 C St.; 360-718-7360; facebook.com/NOMNOMNW Bobby Rasaphangthong added Laotian red curry chicken noodle soup (Kaopoon Nam Gai, $14) to the menu at his restaurant because it’s a soup from his childhood. He has fond memories of eating it at gatherings and special events with his family. This red curry chicken noodle soup won Rasaphangthong the Golden Ladle award and Chef’s Choice awards at Share’s Soup’s On fundraising event in 2018. Rasaphangthong’s Kaopoon Nam Gai starts with a whole chicken cooked in a large pot with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and cilantro stems for half a day. Sauteed red curry paste and coconut milk is cooked in a saucepan for about 10 minutes to bring out the flavors and aroma. This mixture is then added to the pot of chicken. Salt, palm sugar and chicken bouillon are placed in the broth, which is poured into a large serving bowl. It’s topped with shredded cabbage, carrots, cilantro, mint and lettuce along with a mound of chicken.

The final dish yields a comforting mix of tender chicken, fresh herbs and creamy, slightly spicy broth. Cameo Long-Life Soup Cameo Cafe, 7703 N.E. 72nd Ave.; 360-566-2373; cameocafe.com Cameo Cafe, located at the ninth hole of the Club Green Meadows golf course, has offered a unique mix of Korean and American favorites created by owner Sue Gee Lehn for over 20 years. The Seoul-born former beauty pageant queen was recently featured in Portland Monthly in an article about long-standing Korean restaurants in Portland. Cameo Cafe also has a Portland location near The Grotto. The dishes served here are eclectic. They represent a mix of generously portioned breakfast classics such as eggs, hash browns, toast, pancakes, waffles and Korean dishes like bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) and kimchi-infused spicy soldier soup. Recently, I tried the Cameo Long-Life Soup ($10). It arrived in an enormous metal bowl filled with piping hot chicken broth mixed with long, curly ramen noodles and tender cabbage, carrot, broccoli, onion and peppers. Two pieces of buttered toast sit on the side. Diners can choose to add chicken ($2) or seafood ($3).

The broth emitted a warming waft of steam that felt good on my face. The soup itself was restorative — a soothing and savory clear broth with a healthy mix of vegetables and delicate noodles. It seemed simple at the time but later in the day I looked forward to having another large bowl for dinner. This soup can be ordered mild or spicy. I ordered it medium spicy and it had a tiny kick to it. The Spicy Soldier Soup comes with the owner’s homemade kimchi. I’m definitely trying that next time with an order of bindaetteok, Korean pancakes made with ground mung beans and rice served with eggs and bacon. Caldo Verde Hidden House Market, 100 W. 13th St.; 360-281-8951; hiddenhousemarket.com Caldo verde is one of the most popular of the many soups served at Hidden House Market in downtown Vancouver. Owners Elaine Frances and David White put it on the specials menu and haven’t been able to stop making it because customers love this invigorating Portuguese soup with greens and potatoes. Frances created the restaurant’s caldo verde by modifying a recipe from Food Network. At Hidden House, the soup is made with a chicken broth flavored with smoked paprika, Hungarian paprika and garlic. The chunks of potatoes cook in the broth until they’re tender, which gives them extra flavor. The soup also contains kale and Zenner’s Portuguese linguisa sausage, made with pork, smoked paprika, red wine vinegar, garlic, herbs and spices. Frances gave her own non-traditional touch to the dish by adding red beans.

A bowl of caldo verde ($12) comes in a large bowl with garlic bread topped by a frico of Parmesan and Romano cheese. Any of the above soups provide a warming respite on a cold winter day. They all taste like variations on something a kind grandmother would serve a runny-nosed child to stave off a cold. Rachel Pinsky: couveeats@gmail.com

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