# House salads



## FiscalDean (Dec 10, 2011)

Recently went to a Bonefish Grill in Florida and had their house sald. This was probably the best salad I've had in a chain restaurant. I'm interested in hearing from other forum members; what is the best house salad you've had?


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

The salad bar at the Edgewater Inn due to super chunky blue cheese dressing.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/edgewater-restaurant-edgewater

(Ignore the naysayers)


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## Woofa (Dec 23, 2014)

Clarification. Do you mean those places where you get a salad as part of a meal (for free) or are we talking about places where you have to buy the house salad and it is just one of their options but often has a specialty dressing?

In the first instance, I have to admit that I like the salad at Olive Garden. True, I dont like much else but it is one of my kids favorite restaurants and we sometimes have to go. I like their endless salad and in fact, we often buy the salad dressing from the supermarket for the kids (low cal version) to have on their nightly dinner salad.

In the second, I have generally enjoyed almost any house salad from a nicer steak house. Del Frisco's comes to mind as we actually had our wedding dinner there and my wife and I go back every year on our anniversary. Not cheap mind you but is listed as a "House Salad."


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## FiscalDean (Dec 10, 2011)

I was thinking of a salad that is not included with the meal.


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## FiscalDean (Dec 10, 2011)

Woofa said:


> In the first instance, I have to admit that I like the salad at Olive Garden.
> 
> I have to agree, this is a good salad.


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## LordSmoke (Dec 25, 2012)

I haven't been in a long time, but I recall the fried oyster salad was outstanding.

On another odd note, once I went and ordered one of their fancy martinis before dinner. I am not sure if it was the drink or me, but i started feeling woozy and barely made it to the trash can outside before projectile vomiting. Staff were chasing me thinking I might be skipping out on a meal. Probably not the image they would have liked at the front of their restaurant.:icon_pale: I did recover and went on to enjoy them meal. That incident might explain why I have gone less frequently in recent years.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

FiscalDean said:


> I was thinking of a salad that is not included with the meal.


You mean the _salad_ is the meal??

WTF??


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## Woofa (Dec 23, 2014)

I think he was commenting on my thread and saying he meant house salads which are on the menu as a separate appetizer like item as opposed to the house salad which sometimes is served as part of a meal.


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

Love the chopped salad at Eddie Merlot's. (Hate the name of the restaurant, but a solid chain steak house.)


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

FiscalDean said:


> Recently went to a Bonefish Grill in Florida and had their house sald. This was probably the best salad I've had in a chain restaurant. I'm interested in hearing from other forum members; what is the best house salad you've had?


Good heavens man, won't you tell us what was so good about it ?

Here's part of the salad menu from a place I like in San Diego, Old Venice:



> ORGANIC ARUGULA
> pear, gorgonzola, roasted pecan, lemon, olive oil, parmesan
> 12.WICKED CAESAR
> romaine, crouton, parmesan
> ...


You can tell it is a very classy place since they don't put any zeros after the dollar amount.

:great:

Seriously though it is a great restaurant.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

The bleu cheese lettuce wedge at Ruth's Chris.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

Most steakhouses have good wedge salads.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

Woofa said:


> I think he was commenting on my thread and saying he meant house salads which are on the menu as a separate appetizer like item as opposed to the house salad which sometimes is served as part of a meal.


Well, there is nothing better about a salad one pays extra for.

It's always better that the salad is included.

A GOOD salad!!


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## FiscalDean (Dec 10, 2011)

zzdocxx said:


> Good heavens man, won't you tell us what was so good about it ?
> 
> The combinationb of ingredients was somewhat unusual but delicious. The recipe is as follows:
> 
> ...


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## FiscalDean (Dec 10, 2011)

drlivingston said:


> The bleu cheese lettuce wedge at Ruth's Chris.


This is also quite good.


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## Woofa (Dec 23, 2014)

There is a Cuban restaurant in Tampa Florida called Columbia which has been around since 1905 and they have a special 1905 Salad (not created until the 40's) which they list as one of America's top ten salads. I lived there for a number of years and can tell you that it is delicious. Here is the info copied from their website:

In the 1970s, this flavorful salad was the Columbia's answer to the ubiquitous salad bar. Created by waiter Tony Noriega in the 1940s, it was adapted by the Columbia. The Columbia kitchen designed a new dressing that features Worcestershire sauce, lemon, and Parmesan cheese. When the president of Lea and Perrins heard that the Columbia was his biggest customer, he investigated and ate an Original "1905" Salad®. He soon discovered the salad's delights for himself.

*Salad Ingredients*

4 cups iceberg lettuce, broken into 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" pieces
1 ripe tomato, cut into eighths
1/2 cup baked ham, julienned 2" × ⅛" (may substitute turkey or shrimp)
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, julienne 2" × ⅛"
1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green Spanish olives
2 cups "1905" Dressing (see recipe below)
1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce®
1 lemon

*Preparation*

Combine lettuce, tomato, ham, Swiss cheese, and olives in a large salad bowl. Before serving, add "1905" Dressing, Romano cheese, Worcestershire, and the juice of 1 lemon. Toss well and serve immediately. Makes 2 full salads or 4 side salads.

"1905" Dressing

*Ingredients*

1/2 cup extra-virgin Spanish olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
⅛ cup white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

*Salad Dressing Preparation*

Mix olive oil, garlic, and oregano in a bowl with a wire whisk. Stir in vinegar, gradually beating to form an emulsion, and then season with salt and pepper. For best results, prepare 1 to 2 days in advance and refrigerate.


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## FiscalDean (Dec 10, 2011)

Woofa said:


> There is a Cuban restaurant in Tampa Florida called Columbia which has been around since 1905 and they have a special 1905 Salad (not created until the 40's) which they list as one of America's top ten salads. I lived there for a number of years and can tell you that it is delicious. Here is the info copied from their website:
> 
> In the 1970s, this flavorful salad was the Columbia's answer to the ubiquitous salad bar. Created by waiter Tony Noriega in the 1940s, it was adapted by the Columbia. The Columbia kitchen designed a new dressing that features Worcestershire sauce, lemon, and Parmesan cheese. When the president of Lea and Perrins heard that the Columbia was his biggest customer, he investigated and ate an Original "1905" Salad®. He soon discovered the salad's delights for himself.
> 
> ...


Sounds good.


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## FiscalDean (Dec 10, 2011)

jm22 said:


> Most steakhouses have good wedge salads.


Veru true, I recall a visit to the Chalie Palmer Steakhouse in the Las Vegas Four Seasons hotel. They had an outstanding wedge sala with blue cheese. Sadly, that was the highlight of the entire meal. I have to say, this was the worst meal I've had at an expernsive steakhouse. The service was terrible, the waiters were condescending and my wife's steak was way over-cooked. The waiter said he'd talk to the chef. Not sure if he ever did but was told that the steak was perfectly acceptable. We complained to the corporate headquarters but never received a response. Never go back and will tell everyone I know to avoid this place.


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## Adventure Wolf (Feb 26, 2014)

FiscalDean said:


> I was thinking of a salad that is not included with the meal.


 But salad isn't food. It just comes with food. It's a promissory note that something good is about to arrive. The Greek Salad from The Second Empire off Hillsborough Street in Raleigh. Excellent.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

Adventure Wolf said:


> But salad isn't food. It just comes with food. It's a promissory note that something good is about to arrive.


It says, "you can trust me, here's a little something before the real meal shows up!!"


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

What kind of dressing do you guys like on your salads?


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Howard:

Semi Formal! 

Actually I've progressed/regressed ? over the years. I think I started with thousand island, then blue cheese, and now I usually order ranch. ??


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## Vecchio Vespa (Dec 3, 2011)

Howard, it depends on the salad for me. Some of my favorites include:

On a very simple salad of only delicate greens like Bibb lettuce, a white wine and olive oil vinagrette.

On a mixed salad with lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, onions, and any or all of hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, chopped egg, crumbled bacon, etc. a red wine and olive oil vinaigrette, crumbled bleu or Roquefort being a welcome addition.

On a taco salad equal parts salsa casera, sour cream, and rice vinegar.

On a wedge salad half chunky bleu and half ranch.

On a composed salad like avocado, onion, bell pepper, and tomato a white wine and peanut oil vinaigrette with Dijon and plenty of grey salt.

On a chopped salad, thousand island.

On a fruit salad, honey mustard.

We also love Caesar with Cardini's with a little extra lemon and grated Parm.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

When it comes to salad dressing preferences, it is chunky bleu cheese nine times out of ten. The one time that it is not bleu cheese dressing, it's going to be Thousand Islands!


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## FiscalDean (Dec 10, 2011)

eagle2250 said:


> When it comes to salad dressing preferences, it is chunky bleu cheese nine times out of ten. The one time that it is not bleu cheese dressing, it's going to be Thousand Islands!


I. Like French and blue cheese with extra blue cheese crumbles


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## memphislawyer (Mar 2, 2007)

Woofa,. I have been there, but the one at St. Armaunds Circle in Sarasota. It is a fantastic salad. They sell the salad dressing there. I will have to take your recipe and try this at home. Thank you for posting that. This salad is probably the only time I have remembered a salad to the point of knowing where I had it.


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## ran23 (Dec 11, 2014)

Watching carbs, oil and vinegar now.


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## Vecchio Vespa (Dec 3, 2011)

For a salad treat I'd love the spring greens, hazel nuts, crumbled blue cheese, and vinaigrette salad at Kyllo's in Lincoln City.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

eagle2250 said:


> When it comes to salad dressing preferences, it is chunky bleu cheese nine times out of ten. The one time that it is not bleu cheese dressing, it's going to be Thousand Islands!


I always liked Ranch or sometimes Strawberry/Raspberry Vinaigrettes, the sweet dressings.


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

bleu cheese got me started eating salad. It's still a favorite.


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

then there's the Bacon and Bleu from the Multnomah Athletic club . . .










Just look at those chunks of bacon!


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Year back, when I was working out of the Federal Building in downtown Chicago, there was a restaurant called the Salad Bowl. It was mostly a carryout operation. You entered, picked up clear plastic, disposable salad bowl (small, medium, large and you have got to be kidding sizes), then went to a salad bar and assembled your own salad, with whatever fixins and dressings appealed to you and then took it to a counter for a guy/gal behind the bar to add whatever special meat and/or fruit toppers on your salad. I lunched there on more than a few occasions. Wonder if they were still open, pre pandemic, or if they will reopen post pandemic?


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

eagle2250 said:


> Year back, when I was working out of the Federal Building in downtown Chicago, there was a restaurant called the Salad Bowl. It was mostly a carryout operation. You entered, picked up clear plastic, disposable salad bowl (small, medium, large and you have got to be kidding sizes), then went to a salad bar and assembled your own salad, with whatever fixins and dressings appealed to you and then took it to a counter for a guy/gal behind the bar to add whatever special meat and/or fruit toppers on your salad. I lunched there on more than a few occasions. Wonder if they were still open, pre pandemic, or if they will reopen post pandemic?


We had a couple of those here in Portland. Whether or not we still do is unknown.


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## ran23 (Dec 11, 2014)

My nearby hospital is like that, fix your salad, weight it and pay for it.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)




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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Howard said:


>


Soup and salad...a fine lunch, for sure!


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)




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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

eagle2250 said:


> Soup and salad...a fine lunch, for sure!


I always thought it was soup, sandwich and a salad or is that way too much food?


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Oldsarge said:


> View attachment 50272
> 
> 
> View attachment 50273


I love fruit salads.


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