Three hot spots for a steamy weekend

Fight the heat and humidity with ... heat. Or with something cool. After the beach or the pool, the softball game or the poker game, it's time for refreshment. Here are three restaurants that will provide it.

Phao in Sag Harbor knows how to turn up the BTUs. It's downtown's spice rack. Try the wok-charred shrimp with a sweet-hot sauce; green-curry chicken; and the shrimp-lemongrass soup. For a more soothing approach: chicken satay, vegetable spring rolls, curry puffs with potato and chicken. Phao is at 29 Main St., Sag Harbor; 631-725-0101.

Thom Thom in Wantagh has has several lives. The current one emphasizes steak and sushi. But the kitchen has kept the sweet-hot-crunchy kung pao calamari, with chiles and peanuts. The coconut shrimp satay with a mango-and-chipotle dip also is good. The sushi pizza and the sushi rolls are dependable. Sample the marinated skirt steak, too. Thom Thom is at 3340 Park Ave., Wantagh; 516-221-8022.

The Curry Club sparks your appetite with chicken or lamb vindaloo; the crimson stew, rogan josh, that's best with lamb; tandoori chicken and tandoori prawns; vegetable samosas and vegetable fritters; and papri chaat, or crisps with chutney and potatoes. Enjoy dal makhni, or black lentils; and chana masala, or chick peas and potatoes. The Curry Club is at 10 Woods Corner Rd., East Setauket; 631-751-4845.