Chilled Soups

When it’s too hot to eat, have a cold soup!

* Boxer: Chef Phillip Dubose has created a soup-and-salad hybrid--at the same time reinventing the stuffed tomato: Rock shrimp salad is stuffed into yellow tomato halves and set in a chilled herb tomato soup. (Chilled soup and salad, $10.) Boxer, 7615 W. Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 932-6178.

* Julienne: If you have an enormous thirst for chilled soup, or a party to cater, you can order a variety of made-to-order chilled savory soups (such as gazpacho with avocado and celery, sweet pea and mint, potato leek) and seasonal fresh fruit soups (including a chilled strawberry with cream or the lighter, more virtuous chilled strawberry with cantaloupe). Three-quart minimum per order. Chilled soups also appear frequently on the lunch menu in the cafe. (Chilled soup, $8.50 per quart; $3.25 a cup, $4.25 a bowl.) Julienne, 2649 Mission St., San Marino, (626) 441-2299.

* Out Take Cafe: On a hot day, you can count on a cold soup in this Studio City cafe: It could be vichyssoise, gazpacho, puree of cauliflower or another vegetable puree. And there’s always the fabulous borscht, with beets, cabbage, potato, carrots and creme frai^che. (Chilled soups, $4.95.) Out Take Cafe, 12159 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 760-1111.

* Perroche: A traditional gazpacho is enlivened with Chef Grady Atkins’ own smoked trout and finished with fresh chives. (Chilled soup, $6.) Perroche, 11929 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 766-1179.

* Troquet: Some say Tim Goodell’s oven-dried tomato and red bell pepper gazpacho, with a mound of peeky toe crab salad in the middle, is just about the best around. (Chilled soup, $7.50.) Troquet, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 708-6865.

* Water Grill: A perfect antidote to a smoldering downtown day is the Water Grill’s chilled summer garlic soup with smoked trout. (Chilled soup, $8.) Water Grill, 544 S. Grand St., Los Angeles, (213) 891-0900.

* Vida: For his cold, spicy soup, Fred Eric purees English peas from the Farmers Market, adds spices, preserved lemons, green olives and a cooling dollop of raita (Indian cucumber and yogurt sauce), then serves it with crisp fried pappadums (lentil wafers). (Chilled soup, $5.) Vida, 1930 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 660-4446.