Soup is rarely a menu showstopper. Not so at Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace, where talented chef Ian Clark ladles a velvety, crave-worthy carrot, poblano, and ginger soup.

Clark purées sweet carrots with slightly smoky, roasted poblanos, fresh ginger, and a touch of creamy coconut milk. Just before serving, he adds an enormous lump of freshly poached lobster, disks of crispy plantains, and a sprig of cilantro.

Pair the dish with some Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. At lunch, match it with a fizzy, clementine-flavored Izze.

Tip: Check out Centro on Mondays when happy hour lasts all day, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

950 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-442-7771