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Caesar Salad
updated: Jan 04, 2011, 10:46 AM

I am a Caesar salad lover, the fishier the better. I am interested to hear locals' picks for the best Caesar salad in town. The kind you have to go home and brush you teeth after unless of course you hang around the docks in your spare time.

Places People Are Talking About:

Aldo's	Arch Rock Fish	Ballard Inn
Beachside Bar-Cafe	Blush	Cafe del Sol
Cafe Intl	Chase	El Paseo
Endless Summer	Fresco	Hollister Brewing Co.
Louie's California Bistro	Newman's Caesar Dressing	Outback Steakhouse
Paesano's	Pascucci	Petrini's Italian Restaurant
Pizza Mizza	Ruth's Chris	SB FisHouse
SB Shellfish Co	South Coast Deli	Taffy's Pizza

What People Are Saying:

COMMENT 133188	2011-01-04 10:57 AM
FRESCO.
CEES	2011-01-04 11:01 AM
Salmon Caesar Salad at Endless Summer Bar-Cafe at the harbor (also available at Chuck's Waterfront Grill.)
COMMENT 133196	2011-01-04 11:10 AM
I would normally go with Fresco (as most locals would) and this may sound a little crazy, but if you really are a ceasar fan and love the fishy anchovie thing, Pizza Mizza has an incredible Ceasar.
COMMENT 133198	2011-01-04 11:14 AM
Aldo's has the best. Made with real anchovies.
COMMENT 133202	2011-01-04 11:30 AM
Fresco, every time. Not too fishy, but fresh and very garlicky, with big flakes of real Parmesan.
COMMENT 133205	2011-01-04 11:37 AM
Pizza Mizza's is really good! I LOVE making my own caesar dressing. It's sooo easy and so much cheaper than restaurant prices.
COMMENT 133211	2011-01-04 11:58 AM
Ruth Chris' Caesar was nice the other night. No anchovies though. I am super picky about my Caesar salads and do not like them too weighted with dressing. In fact a nice light dressing with perfect combination of tastes and nice touch of anchovy such as done at Houston's Restaurant in LA is perfect. Yet there is no Houston's in Santa Barbara :-(. So I have suffered mightedly at what has often been claimed and called a Caesar in Santa Barbara. I will try Frescoes though. I have had Pizza Mizza's and enjoyed it. Yet as much as I enjoy Pizza Mizza's food overall the Caesar dressing is heavy. It is not Downey's though and considering it is good. I would like to see less heaviness and a lighter more intense dressing with lots of parm. and a side of anchovies for the top to make it perfection.
COMMENT 133218	2011-01-04 12:20 PM
Fresco has a delicious-tasting caesar. But ask them not to drench your salad, the servings tend to make my think, "Would you like some lettuce with your dressing?"
COMMENT 133219	2011-01-04 12:25 PM
I like Caesar salad but am not a fan of raw eggs or anchovies. The original Caesar salad did not have anchovies in it at all.
THE BARRON	2011-01-04 12:35 PM
Fresco's all the way
COMMENT 133226	2011-01-04 12:43 PM
The original Caesars salad was first served in Tijuana in 1924, although on of the owners says it was 1927. Go online to see the interesting history of that period in San Diego.
COMMENT 133229	2011-01-04 12:46 PM
Does anyone in Santa Barbara prepare a Caesar tableside, or am I dating myself?
COMMENT 133231	2011-01-04 12:51 PM
Fresco's probably is the best I've had in this area (besides my own), but that's not saying much. It has way too much garlic (and I love garlic). I was introduced to Caesar Salad at Legal Seafood in Boston and little else compares. Only thing that ever came close was in Seattle.
COMMENT 133232	2011-01-04 12:53 PM
It's true; there are no anchovies in an authentic Caesar dressing. However they are welcome addition and deliver a solid umami punch.
COMMENT 133237	2011-01-04 01:03 PM
133229 I was thinking the same thing. Last time I had that was in Long Beach at a steak house called "555". It's soooo yummy when done tableside. Anchovy lovers can pile them on, lemon lovers can get their sour fix...it's just perfect! I'd love to know if any restaurants in SB do this.
COMMENT 133241	2011-01-04 01:21 PM
El Paseo does a tableside Caesar salad.
COMMENT 133254	2011-01-04 02:00 PM
BEACHSIDE in Goleta has an amazing Caesar dressing - lots of fresh lemon with a creamy anchovy flavor. South Coast Deli makes a really good, garlicky Caesar dressing - I actually buy a half pint of dressing from them at times when I am too lazy to make my own.... Fresco - always good, but ask them to go light as they tend to over do it... To the person that said Endless Summer - I tried a caesar there for the second time the other day and it was still, VERY underwhelming...
COMMENT 133261	2011-01-04 02:18 PM
I love Petrini's because it isn't fishy and the lettuce is drenched in this wonderful, cheesy almost, dressing. SB FisHouse and SB Shellfish Co. do nice ones as well and are much lighter on the dressing. My husband tried the one at Fresco's and was not a fan; we prefer their house salad dressing.
COMMENT 133280	2011-01-04 03:02 PM
Louie's California Bistro in the Upham Hotel is always a favorite. The newish Arch Rock Cafe also has a kicking Caesar for sure. Delish!
COMMENT 133285	2011-01-04 03:09 PM
The idea made me hungry, so I went home at lunch and made a blender full which should last us weeks and is better than most restaurants (if a bit on the spicy side). This is pretty much my recipe: 1/4c lemon juice 1 tbs dijon 1 tsp hot sauce 1tbs worchestershire 3 anchovie fillets 4 garlic cloves salt/pepper drizzle 1/4c olive oil while blender is running.
COMMENT 133290	2011-01-04 03:22 PM
133285, you are missing a key ingredient! Egg Yolks!
COMMENT 133299	2011-01-04 03:38 PM
El Paseo does a great table prepared Ceasar !
AQUAHOLIC	2011-01-04 03:48 PM
285...your recipe sounds very close to mine, but like 290 said I like to add an egg yolk and a little bit of Parmigiano to it also...okay, I want a Caesar now too!
COMMENT 133322	2011-01-04 04:08 PM
Paesano's Pizza actually makes a really good Caesar dressing.
COMMENT 133332	2011-01-04 04:30 PM
Mmmmm...I like to drizzle salmonella-tainted raw egg on my E-coli contaminated greens in the morning. Smells like....victory
LALALALA	2011-01-04 06:28 PM
I love Edhat! All of it, the informative, the dour and the super snarky. What DOES victory smell like anyway?
COMMENT 133386	2011-01-04 07:45 PM
Thanks to this thread, I've been inspired to make a Caesar with my leftover salmon from last night.
COMMENT 133411	2011-01-05 06:18 AM
Pascucci, especially if you like garlic.
COMMENT 133421	2011-01-05 06:55 AM
I'm disappointed Pascucci's got only one vote. Fresco is good, but Pascucci's is right up there!
COMMENT 133459	2011-01-05 08:11 AM
It's kind of funny the Caesar is now passed off as Italian, when it's actually a Mexican thing, invented in Tijuanna of all places..
COMMENT 133466	2011-01-05 08:30 AM
Exactly 133459...by a Mexican whose name was Caesar. And he didn't use any fish in his recipe.
COMMENT 133478	2011-01-05 08:46 AM
The Chase downtown! Awesome, add grilled shrimp and it's tangy and delicious!
COMMENT 133480P	2011-01-05 08:47 AM
Hmm. Wonder if there's a difference in the dressing between Five Points Fresco and Fresco North in Goleta. We eat there a lot, but I find their Caesar dressing a bit on the bland side - could do with a little more ooomph.
COMMENT 133495	2011-01-05 09:02 AM
I vote for Pascucci's too.
COMMENT 133500	2011-01-05 09:07 AM
Newman's Caesar dressing is quite good. I squeeze lemon juice over my romain, and then add Newman's tastes great.
COMMENT 133538	2011-01-05 10:16 AM
Beachside ceasar is fantastic!! Also, Hollister Brewing Co. makes a very good, lemony, good garlic one as well - lots of parm. cheese as well. Both excellent options!
COMMENT 133641	2011-01-05 01:24 PM
I love caesar salad without anchovies but have had it with chicken and shrimp. All the places mentioned above I have enjoyed as I always select caesar when available. I also like Outback Steakhouse Caesar when I have their steak.
COMMENT 133689	2011-01-05 02:55 PM
Egg yolks are so OUT-----but if you want the same taste and a MUCH healthier salad, use avocado oil instead of the eggs!
COMMENT 133758	2011-01-05 04:23 PM
Plop in some real mayonaise in the homemade recipe and you have your eggs and creaminess. Just mix some drops of fresh lime or lemon juice for your degree of tartness with a couple tablespoons of mayonaise, gobs of fresh grated real parmasen and some dashes of worchestershire sauce can be good enough. Then toast some bread fairly dry, butter both sides and slice into croutons with or without the crusts, and you have a quick and dirty "ceaser". Best thing is the croutons made this way, with still soft bread centers, actually work to sop up the left over finger-licking good dressing at the bottom and sides of the bowl, instead of those stupid commercial rock hard dried bread pieces that have no business in anyone's salad bowl. Do not add up the calories for this version. Just enjoy.
COMMENT 133764P	2011-01-05 04:33 PM
I too love Caesar salad when the dressing isn't "heavy" - to me that means overly creamy. I also like anchovies and Parm and garlic to be the stars. Last summer I had an interesting "grilled" salad at Blush on the patio. 2 Romaine hearts were indeed lightly grilled then tossed with their dressing, 3 anchovies laid across with shaved Parm and big croutons. Very nice. I'll have to try Pascucci's, Paesano's and Hollister Brew Co's. I'm not a fan of Fresco's attempt. $12 for way too much dressing with not a lot of flavor - No thanks. I love South Coast Deli's version - however, the complete and utterly disgusting lack of customer service at their Goleta location has driven me away. Many times I've waited over half an hour during a lunch break for a salad to be prepared and then have been snubbed by snobs when inquiring after my order... Oh well. I no longer give them my business. Oh, don't try the version at Cafe Intl on Calle Real in Goleta, the chicken and croutons taste like the cooktop the breakfast bacon was cooked on.
COMMENT 133767P	2011-01-05 04:34 PM
758 - all the lettuce you're consuming with that dressing cancels out the calories! Duh! ;-) Great ideas, thanks for sharing.
COMMENT 133811	2011-01-05 07:02 PM
Cafe del Sol and ask for "extra anchovies"...absolutely the BEST!
COMMENT 133826	2011-01-05 08:02 PM
The best is Taffy's Pizza on de la Vina. It's Dinnertime and a C-Salad sounds good. Oh, so crispy and tangy. The recipe has not changed since Elmer Dills blessed Taffy's as gourmet pizza heaven. And Want anchovies? Say "...I want anchovies."
COMMENT 133831	2011-01-05 08:16 PM
My vote is for Pascucci, their Caesar is always consistent. last time I was in, I noticed their menu states that they use Pasteurized egg yolks in the dressing. Adding egg yolks important, since it the dressing thickness & substance.
COMMENT 133833	2011-01-05 08:32 PM
Last time I had a Pascucci salad there was so much garlic and oil in it that I was very sick to my stomach afterwards. However, while I was eating it? FANTASTIC. I just wish they'd go a bit easier on the garlic. Or maybe I can consider myself in training and start eating more garlic in small increments until I work up to going back to Pascucci again. I feel a montage coming on....
AKIMBO	2011-02-23 05:38 PM
Ballard Inn, hands down!