Best of 2003: Best Mexican Chicken Soup

La Especial Norte
664 North Coast Highway 101, Leucadia
760-942-1040

La Especial features a dozen terrific soups, but their Mexico City-style chicken soup is the best of them all. Based on a full-flavored, made-from-scratch chicken broth, it's laced generously with shredded and diced chicken meat, avocado slices, and cilantro, with just enough rice to give it body.