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Replacing Mum's chicken soup


With the temperature swinging wildly between icy cold and bloody freezing, we've all got a permanent case of the sniffles. Honestly, as if it wasn't enough having can't-get-out-of-bed-itis, sick-of-whinging-about-the-weather disease, and my-woollen-jumpers-are-giving-me-a-rash syndrome. No, it's not much fun walking around with a Pez dispenser full of Codrals and a nose dribbling like a pre-water-restrictions tap, but there are some benefits to being a sooky sicky.

Just think back to your childhood, when being sick meant no school, an endless supply of lemonade and sympathy, and Mum's chicken soup. While, you might not be able to con your mother into lavishing you with the same home-cooked comfort now, there's no reason why you have to make your own soup either. These places offer exotic versions of that winter staple.

1
 
Malay Chinese Takeaway
Sydney
The queue here often goes out the door and you can forget snagging a table at lunchtimes, but this place is worth the effort. All the Malaysian fare looks pretty good, but the laksas are what everyone's really interested in. The big bowls brim over with spicy coconut milk, noodles and your protein of choice. The prawn laksa is the top pick, with plenty of fat king prawns poking out through a web of bean sprouts.

2
 
Moroccan Soup Bar
Fitzroy North
Elbow your way into this tiny eatery to shake up your winter diet. This place specialises in vegetarian Moroccan cuisine, offering a nice change from the 'meat and three veg' (or often 'veg and three meat') diet that many of us live on during the colder months. As the name promises, soups are a specialty, ranging from Egyptian lentil to potato.

3
 
Chocolate Buddha
Melbourne
Many of us associate Japanese restaurants with the summer months - skipping into a sushi joint for a light meal of slender sashimi slices or a hand roll on the run. But look beyond the sushi train and you'll see that Japanese restaurants such as Chocolate Buddha can offer some of the most comforting food around. Miso soup is practically a meal in itself, while the ramen meals combine noodles with hearty soup stock.

4
 
Pho 54
Cabramatta
Though you might walk past this simple eatery without giving it a second glance, a look at the smug faces of the diners within gives it away as an insider favourite. A big bowl of pho (Vietnamese soup served with a self-assemble collection of herbs, bean sprouts, lemon and chilli) from here is as comforting as snuggling under the duvet on an icy winter's day.

5
 
Dickson Asian Noodle House
Dickson
There are a couple of places that really come into their own during the capital's bitter winters, sustaining Canberrans with stellar soups and laksas. Dickson Asian Noodle House's soups are among the best, comforting the most sooky diner. Clear broths such as the duck noodle soup get the big tick, while the rich coconut milk of the laksas offers that dash of naughtiness needed for maximum psychological comfort.