5 must-try spots for satisfying salads
With the arrival of longer days, more sunshine and warmer temperatures, I have started craving salads – but not spring’s delicate shoots, greens and peas just yet. Instead, I’m looking for salads that are hearty and satisfying. Here are five from Rochester-area restaurants that hit the spot.
Date Salad: Chortke
Chortke, which originally opened as a fast casual spot, is now a fine dining restaurant that highlights Persian flavors. Its date salad contrasts bitter greens and radishes with sweet, chewy dates. It’s all tossed with a tahini-honey dressing and garnished with toasted sesame seeds to add a subtle nuttiness. If you haven’t experienced Chortke’s latest iteration, it’s well worth a visit.
352 Goodman St. in Rochester, set behind the main building in Village Gate Square; (585) 730-4008. chortkegrill.com.
Beet and Goat Cheese Salad: Petit Poutinerie
For a restaurant that hangs its hat on comfort food, Petit Poutinerie makes a darned good salad. Mixed greens are tossed with tender roasted beets, large chunks of candied walnuts and a sweettangy honey balsamic dressing. In keeping with its indulgent roots, it comes with balls of goat cheese that have been breaded and deep fried until golden and crispy. Yum.
44 Elton St., in the Neighborhood of the Arts; (585) 461-2224. petitpoutinerie.com.
Classic Caesar Salad: Cotoletta
A casual Italian joint, Cotoletta is known for pizzas, pastas and overstuffed sandwiches, but it also makes a commendable Caesar salad. An abundance of fresh Romaine is tossed with crispy prosciutto, crunchy croutons and a lemony Caesar dressing. It’s all dusted with a snowfall of Parmesan. Like everything at Cotoletta, the portions are enormous; plan to share unless you’re really hungry.
440 Elmridge Center Dr. in Greece; (585) 563-6007. cotolettaroc.com.
Farmer’s Lettuce Salad, Wildflour
The newish Wildflour, at North Winton Road and Browncroft Boulevard, is another place for pizzas, pastas and sandwiches. And it, too, makes a satisfying salad that’s along the lines of a Caesar. The greens are whatever’s in season from Squash Blossom Farm in Naples, tossed with a Caesar-type dressing enlivened with lemon, tarragon, capers and cornichons. It’s studded with fancy Italian canned artichokes and topped with coarse homemade breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
620 N. Winton Road in North Winton Village; (585) 340-6034. wildflourrochester.com.
Fried Brussels Sprouts, Signatures at the Humphrey House
A mainstay in Penfield’s Four Corners, Signatures at the Humphrey House classifies its fried Brussels sprouts as a starter, but I’m considering it salad adjacent. Fried Brussels sprouts are tossed with crispy bacon, grilled pineapple, sautéed peppers and a sesame ginger dressing. It’s served warm and topped with whole cashews. Sweet, salty and crunchy, it could be the most indulgent dish of this roundup, but so, so good.
1783 Penfield Road, Penfield; (585) 267-7415. thehumphreyhouse.com.