A good salad is the most underrated food there is. When you get a variety of ingredients together that all bring something different to the bowl—crunch, saltiness, creaminess, acid, freshness, fat—and yet they all go together, it’s a gosh-darn delight. It’s like planning out the ideal guest list for a dinner party. Everyone brings their own personality, and the result is a conversational spark that just couldn’t happen if you’d had dinner with all these people one-on-one.
Here is the law of salad judging: a salad is great if you choose to eat it over other options. If a salad is the only healthy item on a menu, simply being forced into salad is enough to cause resentment. “Ugh,” I’d think, looking at a perfectly good salad that had the misfortune of being my only choice, “I wish I could eat something else.” But when you can choose something else but instead order a salad, that’s the mark of a kitchen that cares.
Here are 20 of my favorite local salads, in alphabetical order by restaurant. Caution: we’ve noted a few that contain meat.
Fancy greens, Billy Can Can
Don’t worry: this Victory Park saloon’s greens don’t get too swanky. They do have shaved veggies mixed in for crunch, however, along with manchego cheese. 2386 Victory Park Ln. 214-296-2610.
Orzo salad, Bobbie’s Airway Grill
Our server got excited that we’d ordered this plain-sounding side because the pasta is mixed with French feta, a seasonal roasted vegetable, and loads of fresh herbs. 5959 Royal Ln., Ste. 515. 214-272-8754.
Seasonal salad, Encina (contains meat)
When you see how many bacon lardons are tossed in with the veg, you’ll understand why even carnivores love this bowl. Tomato season will bring you, basically, a BLT without the bread. Granola for crunch is another clever twist. 614 W. Davis St., Ste. 100. 945-306-3067.
Miam Miam house salad, Fond
Simple, and simply ingenious: high-quality leaves, sunflower seeds, an immaculate vinaigrette, and a couple of game-changing shakes of everything bagel-style seasoning. Make a combo by getting a small salad with your lunch sandwich. 1601 Elm St., Ste. 110. 972-803-6045.
Taboula, Gilgamesh Restaurant, Kasra, and Open Sesame
Different cultures offer different mixes, some of them almost all parsley and herbs, others with more grains. Try them all to find out which you like best. Kasra is Persian (and spells it tabuli), Gilgamesh is Iraqi, and Open Sesame is Lebanese. Gilgamesh Restaurant, 300 Terrace Dr., Ste. 301, Richardson. 469-206-7138; Kasra, 525 W. Arapaho Rd., Ste. 21, Richardson. 972-235-4007; Open Sesame, 2615 Oak Lawn Ave. 469-726-2825.
Cucumber avocado salad, Goldie’s
This combination is cooling and refreshing, especially in Dallas’ hottest summer months. It’s also boldly green without using any leafy veg. For salt and crunch, the kitchen sprinkles over asadero cheese and fried chickpeas. 9850 Walnut Hill Ln., Ste. 305. 214-586-3033.
Mediterranean quinoa, Goodwins
Crisp greens like frisée mingle with quinoa, cherry tomatoes, and shaved cucumbers in this generous bowl. All six of Goodwins’ salads are full-on with ingredients, bold dressings, and crunchy toppings. 2905 Greenville Ave. 214-272-9677.
Inlay tea leaf salad, Inlay Burmese Kitchen
This Lewisville restaurant’s traditional salad is chopped so finely that you’ll use a spoon. The refreshing mix, perfect for summertime, includes fermented tea leaves, shredded cabbage, fresh and fried garlic, green peas, peanuts, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, jalapeños, and lime. 500 E. Round Grove Rd., Ste. 315, Lewisville. 214-513-9695.
Whatever’s on special, La Bodega
This Oak Cliff takeaway is most famous for rotisserie chicken, but look out for a handwritten specials board and you may be rewarded with a delightful seasonal bowl. Add crispy chicken skins to any meal for $2. 208 W. Eighth St. 945-233-8225.
Radish salad, Little Blue Bistro
This composed dish combines upturned endive leaves, radish slices, and olives that have been stuffed with orange segments, all served over an herb-infused butter. Order some bread to go with the extra butter. 320 W. Eighth St. 214-247-6454.
Seasonal salad, Mirador
We’re especially fond of visiting in wintertime, when chefs make a tricky crop of produce appealing. Last winter, we enjoyed a glowing yellow bowl of Castelfranco radicchio, raisins, pears, chopped nuts, and a shaved aged cheese. 1608 Elm St. 214-945-8200.
Little gem Caesar, Mister Charles (contains seafood)
This time-tested Mexican classic is trending again across town. We just ask that restaurants incorporate the crucial anchovies, rather than turning the dressing into a harmless cream. Mister Charles’ stylish number doubles down on umami by adding capers. (More top Caesars: the more traditional bowls at Cane Rosso and Cenzo’s Pizza & Deli, and the chorizo-sprinkled version at El Carlos Elegante.) 3219 Knox St., Ste. 170. 972-920-9471.
Greek salad, Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge
(Note: Nikki Greek Bistro & Lounge closed between this article’s appearance in our print edition and its publication online. We include it here as a tribute to its handiwork.) This is not your yia yia’s Greek salad. The plating is sophisticated and eye-catching, and the flavors are bolder and stronger than ever, with quick hits of kalamata olive throughout. One traditional element did not need updating: the dressing, a Georgalis family recipe. 5757 W. Lovers Ln., Ste. 101. 214-758-0025.
Radicchio e farro, Partenope Ristorante
Once you have a salad topped with cannellini beans, you won’t want to go back to beanless greens. Partenope has offered several such options through the years; the current set includes farro, goat cheese, and champagne vinaigrette. Richardson only. 110 S. Greenville Ave., Richardson. 214-604-4857.
Seaweed salad, Pearl
Three varieties of seaweed—wakame, aotosaka, and akatosaka—go into this bowl, along with garnishes and sesame seeds. Since the dressing is delicate and light, you can taste all the greens clearly. 4640 McKinney Ave., Ste. 130. 469-453-0033.
Seasonal salads, Roots Southern Table
Chef Tiffany Derry wants everyone to know Southern food isn’t all battered and deep fried. That’s why the salads here show such attention to detail: they’re part of her message. With the seasons, they’ll evolve to feature such star ingredients as peas, tomatoes, or Texas peaches. 13050 Bee St., Ste. 160, Farmers Branch. 214-346-4441.
Several options, Sachet
Some items are definitely salads—like fattoush, fatteh, and lunchtime bowls—while other veggie meze might fit into a larger definition of the word. Play it safe and order all of them. 4270 Oak Lawn Ave. 214-613-6425.
Arugula and bresaola, Via Triozzi (contains meat)
What’s the best way to get people excited about arugula? Serve it on top of a bed of cured meats. More fried meat is scattered across the top, along with Parmesan and thrillingly acidic vinaigrette. 1806 Greenville Ave. 469-897-5679.
Several options, Written by the Seasons
One of the best surprises here is the way that many dishes arrive with their own unique side salads. The main menu star is a bowl of grilled shrimp, avocado, mango, plenty of herbs, and dressing inspired by Southeast Asian cultures. Fried shallots and hot pepper slices add excitement. 380 Melba St. 469-580-1185.
Antipasto salad, Zoli’s Pizza (contains meat)
We can appreciate a good, light bowl of greens, but we also love the classic Italian-American cheat code of putting everything from a loaded sub onto lettuce instead. There’s no better spot in town to indulge than at Zoli’s, especially before turning to one of the kitchen’s even more famous pizzas. 14910 Midway Rd., Addison. 469-754-9654.…