Soup's always on at John's

Ah, January, the bleakest month. Colorless landscapes, frigid temperatures, piercing winds. It’s no surprise that shivering Stark Countians seek the soothing relief of a steamy bowl of soup.

And it’s no surprise that many of them find their way to John’s Bar & Grille, where the menu has featured at least five varieties of soup every day for the past 25 years.

“My dad started serving soups when he opened in ’45, and for the last 25 years we’ve been doing five or six a day,” said owner Anthony “Tony” Varavvas. Four generations of Varavvases have operated the popular Canton eatery — John, for whom the pub is named; his son, Tony; Tony’s son, John; and John’s daughter, Anna.

The most popular soup is French onion, served in the nostalgic brown and beige crock. Each ingredient in the generous serving is of the highest quality, from the rich, dark broth to the toast on top.

“We use Norcia’s Italian bread. We toast it, put garlic on it and some Parmesan cheese,” Varavvas said.

The floating garlic toast is topped with two slices of Swiss cheese that bubble and brown and drip down the sides of the piping hot crock.

January, you’ve met your match.

On return visits, I recommend you try the stuffed pepper soup or the potato soup. You may be tempted to order a sandwich or one of John’s burgers (the Grecian burger topped with feta is outstanding) alongside your soup, but I suggest you save room for dessert.

Classically trained chef Don Trubisky admits his favorite kitchen task is creating pastries, cheesecakes, cobblers and pies. I’m not usually one to throw around superlatives, but his pecan pie is the best I’ve ever had. Unlike most pecan pies, Trubisky’s buttery filling is not dense or gluey. Instead it’s soft, almost creamy, and topped with chopped pecans, distributing the flavor more evenly than traditional pecan halves. The homemade crust is flaky perfection.

Normally I order a dessert and share it with whoever is at the table. If someone had tried to take a bite of my slice of Trubisky’s pecan pie, I would have stabbed him with a fork.

Seasonal cheesecakes are another Trubisky signature. When we visited, he was offering pumpkin, a sinful indulgence worth every calorie.

Entering John’s Bar, at 2749 Cleveland Ave. NW in Canton, is to step back in time. The decor seems purposely nostalgic, rather than tired. Old school, not old. Completing the look are simple wooden tables and booths, wood-paneled and brick walls and, of course, the trademark golden light cast by amber glass shades.

Service was impeccable, which came as no surprise, since most of the wait staff have been with the Varavvas family for many years.

SOUP'S ON...

Manchu Cafe The fragrant Manila-style chicken noodle soup at Manchu Cafe bears only passing resemblance to its American cousin. A golden brown broth is laced with thick lo mein noodles and chunks of white-meat chicken, then topped with sliced scallions. A bowl is nearly a meal. But if you’re still hungry, try the bourbon chicken, a smoky sweet delight. Manchu Cafe, at 5528 Dressler Rd. NW in Jackson Township, is tucked in the corner of the Target plaza near Belden Village. (330) 494-5889.

Andrea’s Garden Last summer the staff at Andrea’s Garden cut the corn off 260 dozen ears of corn and froze it so they could make their signature tomato corn chowder year-round. You can taste the freshness. Other top sellers at this Alliance eatery include Bueno Mangiamo, an Italian-style chicken soup with zucchini and tomatoes in a house-made chicken stock, and bison chili. If you’re lucky, the soup du jour when you visit will be the fennel-scented bouillabaisse, studded with shrimp, cod and salmon. 2360 S. Union Ave., Alliance. (330) 821-8928.

Grinder’s Above & Beyond Grinder’s Above & Beyond serves five or six soups daily at its six locations. Its signature soup is the Italian wedding with the (secret recipe) egg croutons. Equally popular are the chicken noodle and the broccoli cheddar noodle. To check out what soups are being served daily at which locations, go to www.grinders.net.

Hartville Kitchen You can count on finding the same four soups in winter or summer at Hartville Kitchen. The most popular is the thick, rich broccoli cheese, followed by the traditional chicken noodle. The eatery also serves vegetable beef and chili, all available by cup, bowl or takeout. Hartville Kitchen, in business for 43 years, moved to its current sprawling site at 1015 Edison St. NW in Lake Township 14 years ago. (330) 877-9353.