A salad is much like a work of art. Well, not really. It’s all about flavor, freshness and texture. Sadly, many restaurants blindly throw a heap of lettuce on a plate and call it salad. That’s a shame.
There are also some who believe a salad can’t be a meal by itself. Balderdash! A meal doesn’t have to be loaded with pounds of beef and french fries to be satisfying. A unique and interesting salad can satisfy even the hungriest student.
We’ve found four great Tucson salads that might just convert diehard meat-and-potatoes folks into salad lovers.
Buddy’s Grill, 4821 E. Grant Road
Caesar Salad ð- $9.50
Ten bucks buys you not only a damn good salad at Buddy’s but also a great experience. There are warm slices of sourdough bread and amazingly tasty zucchini bread muffins to snack on while you wait for your food to arrive. A nice staff will also take care of you in the restaurant’s sophisticated, yet not stuffy, atmosphere.
Buddy’s caesar salad is a beast. It comes to your table in a large bowl topped with warm grilled chicken. The chicken is a tad dry, but that’s the price you pay when you get actual chicken as opposed to the fast-food processed variety. Nevertheless, it’s perfectly spiced. Beneath the chicken is a bed of fresh romaine tossed with a not-too-tangy dressing, crunchy croutons and Parmesan cheese. A light squeeze of fresh lemon juice rounds out one of Tucson’s best salads.
Chopped, 2829 E. Speedway Blvd., 4205 N. Campbell Ave.
Design Your Own Salad – Starts at $6.50
You would hope that a restaurant specializing in salad would be among the best. Thankfully, Chopped delivers. The trendy restaurant’s menu offers several salad options like the traditional Caesar and Cobb, but its best salad is the one you create.
At Chopped, you can design your own salad by filling out a form with your desired ingredients. After choosing a type of lettuce, you’re free to select five ingredients ranging from anchovies and avocado to snow peas and sun-dried tomatoes. The salad world’s most underrated ingredient, jicama, is also available. Choose a dressing and meat (if you want ð-
$1.50-$2.00 extra) and you’re set.
Our choice? Romaine topped with black beans, corn, jicama, tortilla strips and sunflower seeds. Add on turkey and reduced-calorie honey Dijon dressing for a salad well worth its $8 price.
Beyond Bread, 3026 N. Campbell Ave., 6260 E. Broadway Blvd.
South By Southwest – $7.50
Tucson’s hippest sandwich stop also throws together many fine salads. Perhaps the best one is the spicy South By Southwest, a pile of mixed greens combined with an assortment of great ingredients. The salad features a jalapeÇño dressing perfect for the desert.
Avocado, cucumber, tomato and red onion combine for a taste and texture that is unmatched. This isn’t even the best part – the salad comes with a serving of Beyond Bread’s amazing “”southwest turkey salad.”” Think of it as chicken salad, but with turkey instead (duh) kicked up with chilies and cilantro. Served with some of the restaurant’s famous bread, it’s hard to top the South by Southwest.
The Fat Greek, 994 E. University Blvd.
Big Greek with Pita – $6.75
Tucson’s best Greek salad can be found right near campus. The Fat Greek offers its large version complete with pita bread for a very reasonable price. For just about seven bucks, you’ll get a large basket filled with romaine lettuce tossed with Greek dressing. The restaurant’s friendly staff then adds the typical ingredients: feta cheese, fresh tomato, Kalamata olives and raw onion. If you at all appreciate the distinct taste of feta cheese, this is your salad. It’s loaded with it.
In addition to being a great salad, it’s also one of the best vegetarian lunch options near campus. Skip the pita bread and it’s also Atkins-friendly. One word of caution, however: Pack a breath mint for afterward. Otherwise, you’ll spend the rest of the day advertising this scrumptious salad.
