Five Things You Need to Eat in June
We're still springing into summer, but soft serve is officially in
By Tiffany Ran June 7, 2023
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of Seattle magazine.
By June, Seattle is relishing in a fat dose of vitamin D. The world feels alive and at the end of the month, there’s the PRIDE parade that winds through Capitol Hill. Each June, I try to resist the urge to buy every rainbow-themed cupcake or baked goods. I may fail, but luckily with our spring slightly delayed and summer off to a cooler start, there are vibrant colors, bright seasonal produce, and childhood favorites turned grown-up indulgences to be had across the city.
Fight Fire with Fire
Traditionally, Korean yukgaejang soup is made with brisket, but at Ohsun Banchan Deli & Cafe in Pioneer Square, a spicy, perky scallion broth takes the place of a fiery, hearty brisket stew. Ohsun’s yukgaejang is vegan and loaded with glass noodles, shiitake, black mushrooms, and fern bracken. On its own and especially with banchan sides, it is a wholly nourishing meal. Why soup in the summer? Owner Sara Upshaw notes that since Koreans believe in fighting fire with fire, working up a sweat with a spicy hot soup will lead to a faster cool down.
314 at the Ballgame
Coincidence that Moto Pizza’s stand at the T-Mobile Stadium is at section 314? I think not. (They are also in both 100-level walk-off stores.) Moto’s Pizzas are among the most celebrated in the city. In the past, securing a pie meant making reservations months in advance. At any Mariner’s home game, you can secure your deep dish ’za, by waiting in line, albeit a long one. Among its four classic flavors: Kissd, Pepperoni, Cheese, and Root. Kissd with its pepperoni, cheese blend, spicy sauce, tomato sauce, and spicy honey is pure summer lovin’. Pro-tip: Catch the one-of-its-kind crab pizza during all-star games.
Enjoy Summer Kamp
Kamp Social House’s rotating soft serve menu is Madison Valley’s best kept secret. Owners Marceil Van Camp and Katy Knauff opened Kamp Social House last summer. Its photogenic soft serve with rounded layers and pointed tip is a swirl of two flavors: blackberry and ras el hanout, basil and strawberry, burnt honey and Earl Grey, as recent examples. You would not be judged if you had this alongside Kamp’s cocktails, which, similar to its soft serve, are all grown up with a bit of childhood whimsy.
Rhubarb in Everything
The unpredictable seasons in recent years have made it more difficult to pin down optimal times for long-awaited seasonal produce. Rhubarb season is here, and you will find it on restaurant menus, but especially in pie. Baker Hannah Jacobsen of Pie Bird Bakeshop uses rhubarb from Rockridge Orchards and blueberries from Sidhu Farms in her blueberry-rhubarb pie, which you can find at naturally, the farmers markets where Jacobsen sources her fruit. While the season is still hot, she is using rhubarb to the max. You can also enjoy it via her rhubarb crumble and pocket pies. Come strawberry season, she may feel inclined to marry the two. Pick up a slice at the University District Farmers Market or Ballard Farmers Market. Or, join the monthly pie club for a seasonal pie delivered to your doorstep.
Bigfoot Sighting
Geoffrey Redd had the idea of doing a footlong hot dog joint but ran into problems when it came to sourcing the buns. Redd, having worked on the bread program at downtown restaurant Rider, set out to bake his own footlong hot dog buns. With a house-made brioche hot dog bun holding a snappy Olympia Provisions frank, Redd set out to reinvent the Seattle dog with the same attention to detail. He doctored a farmer’s cheese in lieu of plain cream cheese and added a jalapeño relish and onion jam. Luckily, this massive footlong is not as elusive as its namesake. You can find the aptly named Seattle Sasquatch Wednesdays through Sundays at Greenlake’s Wooden City Tavern or at BigFoot Long’s pop-ups across the city.
Tiffany Ran is a writer and the chef behind food pop-up, Babalio Taiwanese. Much of her food exploration includes jumping between catering, restaurants, and the pop-up world. You’ll find her writing featured in Vice Munchies, Lucky Peach, Goldthread, JoySauce, Northwest Asian Weekly, and more. She is the proud dog mom of a chow chow named Ponky Bear.
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