9 things to eat and drink (that aren’t just ice cream) through this hot Tacoma weekend
Temperatures around the South Sound are projected to reach into the 80s this weekend. It’s the kind of early-May timing that will have ice cream shops swimming with customers eager to cool off with a scoop.
In honor of these upcoming hot days, we’ve collected some less-expected chill foods, from boozy slushies to aguachile and shave ice.
If only ice cream will do, check out our guide to homemade versions in Tacoma, Olympia and Puyallup. TNT Diner tip: the frozen custard at Juju’s in our state’s capital is worth the drive, and the egg-inclusive style of Glass Bottle Creamery on Vashon compensates for your ferry ticket. Or skip straight to Medzo Gelato, which we are infinitely lucky to have.
Here are nine other foods and drinks to keep you cool through this (likely short-lived) heat streak.
BOOZY SLUSHIES
You’ll find frozen margaritas at many Mexican restaurants, but the selection at Red Star Taco Bar near downtown Tacoma (454 St. Helens Ave.) offers seven flavors, including the lesser-seen mango, guava and pomegranate. The best part? They’re just $9 a pop.
Snag both ample outdoor seating and $10 frozen cocktails with a kick at Dusty’s Hideaway in McKinley Hill (723 E 34th St.), where the rotating selection sometimes features a surprisingly strong painkiller or negroni. If you need sustenance, the hot honey fried chicken sandwich is a winner, as is the Sam Elliot sandwich with roast turkey and blackberry jam.
On Sixth Avenue, get messy with the house burger and a side of lumpia at Busy Body! (2717 6th Ave.). All of the cocktails are stellar here, but the Wildcat — a bright purple frozen number with ube, pandan, coconut, pineapple, lime and a hefty dose of Bajan rum — will have you staying for another round.
FROZEN DESSERTS
Vietnamese chè stars at Bambu, a dessert cafe in Tacoma’s Lincoln District (773 S 38th St.). If you enjoy boba, you’ll love the cold treats here, which combine jellies, sweet beans and fruits with coffee, coconut milk or coconut water in a big cup that calls for a spoon and a straw. Try the halo-halo, a classic Filipino dessert that layers shaved ice, ube ice cream, coconut milk and a variety of jellies.
Similar to shave ice but with a fluffier texture, find joy in the ribbons of Let It Snow’s signature “shaved snow” (1901 72nd St.). Flavors include Thai iced tea, matcha and mango, served in a cup with condensed milk, chocolate syrup, jellies, sprinkles, Oreo cookies — choose from a house recipe or build your own. The cafe also serves bubble tea, “puffles” (sweet, airy bubble waffles with ice cream and fruit) and Hawaiian shave ice.
For a fun soft-serve alternative, beeline to the popular T-Town Cafe in Lakewood (8515 South Tacoma Way) for Korean taiyaki in vanilla, green tea and ube — or a swirl! Fill your cup with almonds, Pocky, Oreo crumbles, fresh strawberry or sprinkles, plus sweet red bean and condensed milk. Mingle with bites of the fish-shaped waffle.
COLD SEAFOOD
Aguachiles are central to the Sinaloan-focused menu at La Perla del Mar, which now has two Tacoma locations. Find a humble setting at the original (3850 Pacific Ave.) and a spacious, full-dining-plus-bar experience at the new VIP restaurant (6812 Tacoma Mall Boulevard). Tostadas overflow with shrimp, octopus, scallops, crab, onion and avocado dressed in lime juice and spices. The menu also highlights various shrimp cocktails and plenty of cooked seafood, too.
Vuelve a la Vida, a stalwart of the South End (5312 Pacific Ave.), also boasts an array of refreshing fish dishes, from cocteles with octopus, shrimp or oysters all tossed with onion, tomato, radish, cucumber, cilantro and avocado. Add a few tostadas and shrimp or whitefish ceviche for a full meal from the sea, but the tamales and chile relleno are some of the best in the area.
A fine choice for a sunny, warm day, look to Ruston Way and the improved Lobster Shop (4015 Ruston Way) for great views — whether seated on the deck, in the dining room or in the lounge — and plenty from the sea. You won’t find this expanse of raw oysters anywhere else in Tacoma. Drop by Friday 3-6 p.m. for a happy-hour dozen and other specials. Anytime, though, the Dungeness crab and prawn cocktail is one of the best cold eats in the South Sound.