10 cooling things to eat when it’s way too hot in Seattle

It’s too hot, and it’s getting hotter. It shouldn’t be this hot! Especially not in Seattle — where we live because we don’t want to live in Los Angeles — where less than half of us have A/C — where we locals start getting cranky when the temperature goes above 74 degrees. While we’re all lying in front of our fans trying not to dwell on climate change, we’ve still got to feed ourselves. Here are (approximately) 10 things to eat (plus some beverages!) that can help make heat-wave life significantly less hellish. Meanwhile, be careful out there: Drink lots (lots!) of water, take it very easy and check in on loved ones (including pets). Stay cool!

• Sandwiches! Specifically, banh mi, with their airy baguettes and slight spicy bite, make perfect, easy hot-weather eating. My favorite right now is the tofu version from Thanh Son Tofu and Bakery in Little Saigon, and here’s my friend Tan Vinh’s list with that plus 11 more recommendations in the Seattle area. Don’t fret overmuch about where you go, though; in this heat, the banh mi place closest to your face might just be the greatest one right now.
• How about the platonic ideal of a salad? While eating the green dream that is the salade verte from Le Pichet downtown or its little sister Cafe Presse on First Hill and drinking chilled rosé, all will be well, at least for the moment. Also: the sardine sandwich, with more crisp Bibb lettuce and lots of mayo — get it! (And all of it is also available for takeout.)
• Speaking of Cafe Presse to go, it’s on our recent list of 11 special picnics from top Seattle restaurants, along with Jerk Shack, Spice Waala, Sushi Kappo Tamura and more. It’s too hot to think, so they’ve done it for you (and some offer wine, beer or cocktails to go, too).
• Do not overlook the greatness of cold noodles, e.g.: bún, the Vietnamese wonder-dish of rice vermicelli, especially great from Dong Thap (Little Saigon) or Ba Bar (multiple locations); naeng myun, slippery and cooling Korean noodles available from Stone Korean (South Lake Union and Bellevue), Hae-Nam Kalbi & Calamari (Shoreline), Sam Oh Jung (Lynnwood) and maybe your local Korean place; and/or zaru soba, handmade for dipping into cool broth by Mutsuko Soma at Kamonegi (Fremont) and also available at many neighborhood Japanese restaurants.
• Or make your own cold noodle salad with Red Boat fish sauce, the brand that Seattle chefs swear by (or, hell, use any fish sauce — it’s too hot to be fussy).
• And don’t forget our old friend pasta salad! The pesto one from Pagliacci is many a Seattleite’s secret longtime favorite (and they’ll deliver cold beer and wine with it). It’s also super-easy to make: cold pasta (shape of choice), pesto (homemade or cheat with jarred, who cares), cold peas, marinated artichoke hearts, plus a creamy element for a little old-school macaroni-salad flair — the people at Pagliacci tell me they use heavy cream, but a couple of spoonfuls of mayonnaise might be even better.
• Doing some grilling is an obvious choice, but it needn’t be all about meat: Lots of vegetables and fruits, quesadillas and homemade pizza come out great off the grill without heating up the kitchen (more than it already is).
• There is such a thing as cold soup, and it is good. If you’re willing to turn on the stove, start early and make a big pot of vichysoisse, the potato-leek combo that’s amazingly smooth and soothing. If not, how about gazpacho (suggested additions: crab meat, shrimp, avocado, croutons or just vodka, which Thomas Keller calls “the world’s best Bloody Mary”)?
• The idea of hot and spicy soup may sound challenging but really will cool you down. My beloved neighborhood Thai place, Manao on Capitol Hill, makes a rice-noodle version that I ate at an outdoor table on a recent (relatively reasonable!?) 93-degree day, and it was fantastic, especially with a big, rich, sweet, cold Thai iced coffee. Your favorite Thai place awaits!
• We all need popsicles now. Make or buy some actual-fruit-juice ones, or get capital-P Popsicles if it pleases you — it’s too hot to judge any quiescently frozen choices. (Pro tip for grown-ups: Swizzle in a glass of cold Champagne, crémant, prosecco or vinho verde, lick, sip, repeat until later next week!)