In search of a good wonton soup

Some websites state that "wonton" literally means "swallowing a cloud", although I haven't found a dictionary to give that particular meaning, so perhaps this is folklore arising from the fact that wontons often do indeed look like little clouds floating in a broth. I've also had wontons loosely folded and looking more like a hobo's bindle, and variations anywhere in-between. Once I had a wonton soup with dumplings so tightly wrapped and wrinkled they looked to me like little brains - but perhaps the fact I'd just re-read "A Wrinkle in Time" and was thinking about "IT" that I had brains on my, well, brain.

My own definition of wonton soup would be "yummy dumplings in yummy broth". Okay, maybe that definition doesn't work for you. But when I visit an Asian restaurant or look through a delivery flier the first thing I want to try is their wonton soup. When I want soup, I generally want one of my favorite trio: chicken noodle, French onion, or wonton. For the uninitiated, wonton soup consists of a broth which is usually chicken stock with soy, ginger and other spices, with wontons (boiled dumplings filled with ground pork or other meat as well as chopped ginger, onion and other vegetables and spices) and occasionally a few extra vegetables or meat added to the broth. And have I mentioned it's yummy?

I have compiled a list of wonton soups I have tried in the Denver metro area. I initially began taking notes with the idea of finding the "best" wonton soup in Denver. Well, I've decided this is a near-impossible task; as with any other food I like different aspects of different recipes. If I simply must pick a favorite, it would be the soup served up by Sidewok Cafe. As my own tastes vary from day to day -- for example, one day I might want a more subtle broth and another day a more robust broth -- I leave my readers with my notes taken the day of consumption, and suggest all be sampled, for they are all -- what was that word again -- oh, yeah, yummy!

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Restaurants are listed alphabetically:

Fu Shing, 1024 w 104th, Northglenn –- Medium colored flavorful broth, large loosely wrapped wontons with minimal filling, strips of cabbage and plenty of scallions.

Jade City, 12010 Melody Drive, Westminster -- Light colored savory broth, loosely wrapped (and slightly doughy) wontons, chopped scallions, thin strips of meat.

Li's, 11187 Sheridan, Westminster -- Dark broth with a subtle taste, medium sized meaty wontons, and thin strips of cabbage.

Sidewok Cafe, 4930 West Colfax, Denver -- Light colored robust broth, medium wontons, whole snap peas, large pieces of carrot and zucchini.

Spring Thai, 88 Lamar Street, Broomfield -- Medium colored broth with a more subtle (but still tasty) flavor than the others, large wontons, strips of cabbage & chopped scallions.