This palace of maritime kitsch inside the Ace Hotel deals mostly in seafood and oysters, but chef April Bloomfield’s take on the Caesar salad ($9.50) is a worthy detour. Bitter escarole, tarted up with a lemony dressing, comes festooned with thin and silvery slices of pungent anchovy. A blitz of a finely ground croutons adds crunch to each verdant bite.
Apologies to readers who think the Caesar was the emperor’s favorite salad: Most sources agree that the Caesar salad was conceived in 1924 by a chef named Caesar Cardini in Tijuana, Mexico. The salad was created as a showcase for tableside preparation, a flourish that is alive and well in a handful of New York restaurants. Here, we’ve compiled our favorite Caesars, from the classic toss of romaine lettuce, anchovy and Parmesan to more impressionistic creations that employ kale, cod or even tofu to stunning effect. Did we miss your favorite Caesar salad in New York? Join the conversation in the comments section.
