Yes, it’s been a scorcher, and no, it’s not over, but we’re not giving up our noodles just because it’s hot (nor our red wine). Instead, we thought we would scour the metro for a selection of the best cold noodle bowls at some of our favorite spots. A few are spicy, and a few are not, so choose accordingly. Either way, you still get to enjoy noods in the heat of summer’s end.
Bar Sen
Glass Noodle Salad
Chef Jeff Chanchaleune is a soup and noodle bowl master, and this Lao indulgence is packed with enough flavor to fill the entire bartop. No, it’s not really a salad, but you will find veggies among the mung bean noodles, salsa macha, shrimp and the punchy, amazing jaew som dressing.
Bulgogi Korean Bistro
Mul Naengmyeon
This Edmond joint is a sleeper, and they have a great mix of approachable and adventurous on the menu, including mul naengmyeon, a beef soup served super cold with a boiled egg and spicy sauce on the side to choose your own adventure. For a drier version, go with the bibim naengmyeon, which is the same buckwheat noodle preparation tossed in a spicy, tangy, red pepper sauce.
Chuanyu Fusion
Spicy Szechuan Cold Noodles
This northwest-side Szechuan spot still doesn’t get the love it deserves, and one taste of their spicy, cold noodles will make a fan of you. It’s a traditional preparation, so expect Szechuan peppercorns, black garlic, and chili oil over wheat noodles.
Formosa Street Food & Bar
Spicy Cold Noodles
Ivan Wong’s Uptown 23rd restaurant is the rare place in the metro to find Taiwanese food, and the spicy cold noodles are a great start. The dish is made with lo mein noodles in a house-made garlic-ginger sauce, tossed with cucumber, cilantro, scallions, and crushed peanuts.
Goro Ramen
Chilled Ramen
Every summer, Goro adds this summer standout to their menu, and it’s remained pretty much the same since they started serving it in 2018. It’s a variation on a traditional dish, and instead of broth, the noodles are tossed in neri goma, a paste made from well-toasted sesame seeds, and served with plump shrimp, surimi (imitation crab), fried shallots, and veggies. A tofu variation is available.
Jimmy B’s
Thai Steak and Noodle Salad
Feel free to put salad in quotation marks for this one, but at least you can tell everyone you had a salad. If you didn’t know, the noodle dishes at Jimmy B’s are sneaky delicious, and this one has tenderloin, spicy Thai dressing, toasted coconut, baby kale (It’s a salad!), assorted veggies, and peanuts.
Thai Steak and Noodle Salad.
Yu Xiang Yuan
Spicy Szechuan Cold Noodles with Peanuts
If there was a Super Bowl of OKC Chinese cuisine, this Del City restaurant would be a safe bet to be a contender. Their specialty is traditional Szechuan cuisine, and it’s stellar, including their spicy cold noodles. It’s a Szechuan staple for very good reasons.
Bulgogi Korean Bistro
Mul Naengmyeon
This Edmond joint is a sleeper, and they have a great mix of approachable and adventurous on the menu, including mul naengmyeon, a beef soup served super cold with a boiled egg and spicy sauce on the side to choose your own adventure. For a drier version, go with the bibim naengmyeon, which is the same buckwheat noodle preparation tossed in a spicy, tangy, red pepper sauce.
This article appears in Not Quite Bedlam.