Ask the Critic: What's the Coldest Food in Phoenix?

A friend just sent me the best question for right now: What's the "coldest" meal/restaurant I can seek out in Phoenix this weekend? Everything's coming up Asian when I think of delicious cold food, like bun (cold rice noodles) or goi cuon (rice paper rolls) at Da Vang or Pho...

By Michele Laudig

July 2, 2010

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A friend just sent me the best question for right now:

What's the "coldest" meal/restaurant I can seek out in Phoenix this weekend?

Everything's coming up Asian when I think of delicious cold food, like bun (cold rice noodles) or goi cuon (rice paper rolls) at Da Vang or Pho Thanh, hiyashi chuka (cold noodles with chicken) at Cherry Blossom, refreshing papaya salad with grilled prawns at Latitude Eight Thai Grill, a glorious plate of sanity-saving sashimi at Hana, bibim kuksoo (cold buckwheat noodles in spicy kimchi sauce) at Hodori Korean Restaurant . . . stop me now.

Restaurants with a Latin flair also come to mind. How about a ginormous seafood cocktail at Mariscos Sinaloa or one of those joints on 16th Street I just wrote about? And don't forget ceviche at places like Gallo Blanco, America's Taco Shop, and Mi Comida (formerly Mi Cocina, Mi Pais).

Speaking of ceviche, Bombay Spice's chickpea ceviche is a lovely vegetarian dish. Also in the meat-free vein, Chakra 4 has tons of cool salads and vegetarian wraps.

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