Pictured is salmon and broccoli, chicken, white beans and fresh poblano soup and the Flying Avocado wrap from Flower Child.

Even though I rarely order soup before the weather turns cooler, I ordered the soup of the day at Flower Child on a whim. And it made me yearn for fall and winter.

Flower Child’s soup of the day was chicken, white beans and fresh poblano. The broth was dark brown and hearty. Along with the shredded chicken, white beans and poblano peppers, the soup had corn, onions and cilantro. It reminded me of tortilla soup, but without tortilla strips.

When it was first set on my table, I figured I’d only eat a few spoonfuls and move on to my entrée, but I quickly found I couldn’t put it aside. The soup was full of flavor and I especially liked the poblano. The soup also wasn’t overly filling. The shredded chicken tasted fresh, which I like because I tend to be really picky about meat in soup.

While the soup made me feel welcoming to a new season, the atmosphere at Flower Child also proved to be warm. The space is full of eclectic items, like plants, old books, a variety of pottery and more in an open space lit by mostly natural light.

After ordering at the walk-up counter and sitting down, the food was quick to the table. After eating the soup, I started on my main course, salmon with a side of broccoli. The salmon was lightly seasoned and was easily pulled apart by my fork.

A sauce the broccoli was tossed in seeped a little onto the salmon side of the plate and I found I liked the addition of the salty sauce on the salmon, something I wasn’t a huge fan of with the broccoli. While the broccoli was cooked tender, the sauce, to me, tasted so salty that I couldn’t eat more than one piece.

Another side I had was clementine and apple, which were cut into chunks. There’s nothing added to the fruit, but I enjoyed having a simple side to go along with my meal.

My dinner partner got the Flying Avocado wrap, which came with smoked turkey, gouda, romaine, tomato and smashed avocado. After trying it for myself I couldn’t decide whose meal I liked better. The turkey was smothered in the avocado, while there was just one slice of tomato. It was a great alternative to a turkey sandwich.

For dessert I grabbed one of Flower Child’s gluten-free lemon olive oil cakes, which was more like a cupcake. Despite it being gluten-free, the cake was fluffy. Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of olive oil cakes and was curious about the taste. Biting into the cake, the first flavor was lemon, but then there’s an olive oil aftertaste. As someone who loves cooking with olive oil, I liked it.

Since Flower Child is a health-conscious eatery, I knew my dinner would be on the lighter side, but I found that I left full and feeling good.

I also tend to think restaurants that focus purely on eating healthy sometimes miss the mark. Flower Child, on the other hand, hit the mark.

Flower Child

Address: 1533 N. Shepherd Dr. Ste. 100
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Pricing: $8.50-$15.50
Kid-friendly: Yes
Alcohol: Yes
Health options: Yes
Star of the show: Chicken, white beans and fresh poblano soup