By: Juliana Pires Johnson
In Los Angeles, not only can people become celebrities but locations, restaurants and you guessed it – salads too. We ranked and re-created Los Angeles’s most famous salads below (because this is LA, after all), those that have touched the lips of every A-lister in town and is sought out by those coming to visit. Only in LA, would salads be added to travel itineraries, but they are, and they are worth the hype. Discover the ones that made the cut below, and you can feel and eat like an A-lister from home.
THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL/ POLO LOUNGE McCarthy Salad – The Movie Star
The McCarthy Salad is definitely the most popular dish at the famed The Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge restaurant. Named after Neil McCarthy, a local polo player and regular at the hotel, who once ordered this salad with this exact list of ingredients. It was then added to the menu, named after him and has remained untouched since. The McCarthy has probably been ordered and eaten by every movie star in the biz. It is also a salad with a show, made table-side.Looking for some major celeb sightings while in town? All you need is to do is head to the Polo Lounge.
Ingredients
¼ head iceberg lettuce
½ head romaine lettuce
½ cup diced, grilled free-range chicken
½ cup diced, roasted red beets
¼ cup free-range egg yolk
¼ cup free-range egg white
½ cup finely diced aged cheddar cheese
½ cup applewood-smoked bacon
¼ cup diced tomato
¼ cup diced avocado
Dressing
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 shallot
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 cloves roasted garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper to season
Olive oil (they use canola, but we’re not fans, so sub for EVOO)
Directions
Arrange the salad ingredients in a bowl. Place the dressing ingredients in a blender and drizzle in the olive oil to emulsify. Add the dressing and enjoy!
LA SCALA’s Chopped Salad – The Hollywood Agent
Its lunch, you need a healthy yet satisfying, no-fuss dish that will get the job done – quick, customizable and easy. Visit Beverly Hills’ La Scala location on a weekday around that time and that’s what you’ll find. Industry players getting down together, ordering their variation of the Chopped classic (veggie, chicken, tuna..!) and talking shop, getting it done, over lunch. No time wasted.
Ingredients
1 head iceberg lettuce, finely chopped
1 head Romaine, finely chopped
1/4 pound Italian salami, cut julienne
1/4 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and cheese. Makes about 1/2 cup.
Directions
Combine iceberg lettuce, Romaine, salami, cheese and beans in serving bowl. Toss with Leon Dressing. Makes 6 servings.
BANDERA’s (Hillstone) Macho Salad – The Action Hero
Hillstone is just a national treasure to us, and Bandera’s Macho Salad, a star. Definitely heartier than the others – this salad is a meal worthy of an action hero, who needs the extra energy from the cornbread croutons, avocados and dates after a long day. This salad makes for a yummy dinner, which you can whip up with some extra cornbread on the side!
Ingredients
6 cups chopped Romaine Lettuce
1 head of Savoy Cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 pound shredded Chicken Breast (we but rotisserie chicken to save time)
1 Avocado, chopped
4 oz crumbled Goat Cheese
4 Roma Tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup chopped, toasted Almonds
1 cup fresh Corn
16 Dates, sliced
1 1/2 cups Cornbread Croutons (we like to buy this ready-made)
Dressing
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 Lemon, juiced
1 tsp Champagne Vinegar
2 tsp Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Fresh Black Pepper
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/4 tsp Dried Basil
1/3 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Directions
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss with salad.
THE IVY Vegetable Chopped Salad– The Supermodel
Healthy, fancy, beautiful and expensive – The Ivy’s Vegetable Chopped Salad is definitely The Supermodel of the bunch. It can be veggie, paleo, keto and oh-so LA. Also, there is no shortage of Movie Star and Supermodel sightings at both of the restaurants locations in LA (Beverly Hills and Santa Monica) but for those craving it at home, it makes for a fantastic lunch or dinner, and the protein can be switched up to diversify the meal.
Ingredients
1 head butter lettuce
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
6 fresh basil leaves
1/2 lime, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 fresh ear of corn
1/2 bunch scallions
½ Avocado
Optional Protein: Grilled or Roasted Chicken Breast, Grilled Salmon, Seared Scallops or Poached Lobster
Dressing
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons light agave nectar or brown rice syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Coarse salt + black pepper, to taste
Directions
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-low heat. Combine the zucchini, corn and scallions with olive oil and salt and grill until browned and cooked through.
Once vegetables are cooked, let cool and then dice. Cut the corn off the cob.
If adding animal protein, in a separate pan, grill or sauté your protein of choice – salmon, chicken, scallops or lobster.
As everything cools, make the dressing by whisking the vinegar with the agave nectar or brown rice syrup and lime juice. Slowly add oil while whisking and then add salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble the salad, roughly crop the butter lettuce and mix with the grilled vegetables, basil, quartered tomatoes and diced avocado.
Place on a large platter, and top with protein of choice (if using). Coat with the vinaigrette, and serve with lime wedges.