Myung Dong Kyoja

Myung Dong Kyoja, an LA Koreatown import—one our LA buds also like a lot—feels like a food courtyard cafe at a mega-spa. Considering Houston is hot as hell most of the year, MDK’s soothing bowls of handmade cold noodles, made with chlorella and arrowroot, should be your summer obsession. The chewy noodles loaded with spice, funky kimchi, and cold vegetables are filling but not heavy, meaning you won’t have to crawl across lava-hot pavement to your car. While the restaurant is massive, the vibe is more people-who-lunch or a casual quick dinner than big groups. The food is also light enough that grabbing a bite here before a dinner or date you aren’t looking forward to could save you from any hangry mishaps.