It's good to see you back here at our food blog named mmm-yoso!!! Kirk is enjoying vacation, Ed (from Yuma) is appreciating recreational time and Cathy is anticipating a respite in a few weeks.
Remember just about two weeks ago, when we had days with temperatures over 100˚? How about those mornings last week when you woke to a chilly 45˚? Felt good...until, you know, the coughing and sniffles started. Both The Mister and I were in need of some sort of soothing comfort not involving pharmaceuticals. 
Driving to Escondido on a weekday was a breeze: up the 15 to Centre City Parkway, jump onto the feeder road that is Escondido Boulevard, pass Petersons Donuts and a few blocks more, on the right, is Lourdes. Since 1988 this location (and eventually adding two more locations) has made the best chicken soup in town -and it's about the best anywhere.
Ordering is the standard: wait in line, order, pay, get a number, pick up beverages, stop at the salsa bar (complimentary chips and the mildest salsa are given to you when you order) and your freshly made food is brought out to you.
Seating area is beautifully decorated (just like the faux windows painted outside), with only about 15 tables total. (The mural on the wall of the canal boats, Floating Gardens of Xochimilco, honor Lourdes, her husband and their children (the names on the trajineras are Hector, Lourdes, Wendy, Cynthia, Rafael and Alex).) Notice there are two bowls of soup on that foreground table.
Even if we weren't sick, the comfort of the plain cheese quesadilla($3.29) is always an order. The cheese is more of a Oaxacan: creamy, stringy, flavorful.
This day, a new menu item of chicken mole was on the counter Specials list. We ordered it in burrito form ($5.55). What an excellent mole: probably 30 different flavor points, sweet, slight heat, salty, nutty, savory and yet the chicken still had flavor.
The large bowl of chicken soup ($6.99); our reason for this drive North. All white meat chicken in a wonderfully flavored broth, with 'everything': rice, cilantro, onion and avocado. Served with your choice of flour or corn tortillas, it is wonderful, deeply flavored, filling, curative. We were good after this meal.
Hope your week is going well!
Lourdes' Mexican Food 650 S. Escondido Boulevard Escondido 92025 (760) 746-1141 Mon-Thurs 9-9, Fri, Sat, Sun 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Website
Almost that perfect time of the year for any type soup. Simply honest good food.
Posted by: Nhbilly | Wednesday, 15 October 2014 at 06:09 PM
Love the rooster painting! That soup sure was a good choice for combating your cold!
Posted by: caninecologne | Wednesday, 15 October 2014 at 07:19 PM
That soup looks great! I think their Cardiff location is open, which is closer to me. Time for some soup!
Posted by: Jason | Thursday, 16 October 2014 at 07:41 AM
Now that the weather is cooling off, it's time to make a trek to Lourdes. I can't tell you why, but I liked the soup better at the Escondido location than the Cardiff one. Fortunately, Escondido is closer for me.
Posted by: Sandy | Thursday, 16 October 2014 at 07:45 AM
Wow! That chicken soup looks a bit better than the Campbell's I usually eat...
Posted by: Soo H | Thursday, 16 October 2014 at 08:16 AM
It is, Bill.
Well, it worked for us, cc.
Yes, Cardiff is still open, Jason. When we were here, every table had at least one soup bowl.
I think the soup pot is 'seasoned' after being in use all those years, Sandy. It's just so good.
It's not quite the same as chicken soup at other Mexican places, Soo. The add-ins are added before the bowl is brought out, and there's no potato, carrot or squash as part of the broth; just the simple basic ingredients. It's so good.
Posted by: Cathy | Thursday, 16 October 2014 at 09:12 AM