House dressing. Romaine. Croutons. Parmesan Add Anchovies 3
Where this dish comes from
Caesar salad was invented by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who operated restaurants in both San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. On a particularly busy night in 1924 at his Tijuana restaurant — a popular American destination during Prohibition — Cardini ran short of ingredients and improvised a salad from what remained: romaine hearts, Worcestershire, lemon juice, olive oil, raw egg, Parmesan, and croutons. He dressed it tableside with theatrical flair, and it became the restaurant's signature dish. The salad spread rapidly through American fine dining in the 1930s and became one of the most ordered salads in the world.
Cheffy’s note
The Caesar must be dressed assertively — a lightly dressed Caesar is a timid Caesar. The dressing should coat every leaf and pool slightly at the bottom of the bowl. The croutons go in at the last second, right before it hits the table: a soggy crouton is one of the great culinary failures. Shave the Parmigiano thick so it has presence in every bite. The lemon squeeze at the end brightens the dressing and is essential.