The story behind Arizona's famous chopped salad
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The legendary salad. Photo: Courtesy of In Good Spirits Hospitality
A chopped salad concocted in an Old Town Scottsdale kitchen has kept the Valley in a stomach-hold for nearly three decades — and become part of our cultural identity along the way.
Why it matters: "The original chopped salad," now on the menu at The Gladly, Citizen Public House and Beginner's Luck, is so beloved that the state Legislature gave it its own day last year.
The big picture: The recipe is surprisingly straightforward (the restaurants will give it to you if you ask nicely), and yet it's the most popular item at each of the spots operated by In Good Spirits Hospitality.
Is it the satisfying way the colorful ingredients are plated in perfect lines? The table-side tossing with the buttermilk herb dressing? The crunch of the dried corn or the buttery notes of the smoked salmon?
- "I think you can stick about anything into a bowl and mix it up and it will be good," chef Bernie Kantak, creator of the salad tells us.
- That's very humble, but we're not buyin' it, Bernie.
The intrigue: The Valley's dining scene is thriving and finally getting the acclaim it deserves. But what Kantak has accomplished is much more rare.
- He reached culinary consensus with an unfussy dish that Arizonans happily evangelize.
Case in point: Six months after it debuted in 1997, a diner told Kantak she'd made a picture of the salad her computer screensaver. Also, these reviews:
- "It's life changing. I'm serious. I wouldn't blame you for driving 45 minutes just to get that one dish."
- " ... an Icon of the state of Arizona."
- "If I could only eat one salad forever, it would be this one."
How it happened: Kantak tells us he was fresh out of culinary school when the owner of Cowboy Ciao (now closed, except for an outpost at Sky Harbor) tasked him with re-inventing the eatery's chopped salad.
- He borrowed the smoked salmon and dried corn combo from a soup at Cowboy Ciao. From there, it was about creating a flavor and texture balance that looked pretty in the bowl, he says.
- The result: Pepitas for crunch, currants for sweetness, pepper notes from the arugula, salty asiago and acidic tomatoes combine with the salmon, corn, couscous and dressing for a bold and satisfying bite.
Pro tips: You can add any ingredients you'd like — avocado, chicken, steak and shrimp are popular additions.
- Yes, but: Kantak doesn't recommend taking anything out. The flavors are all designed to work off of each other.
- He encourages you to try it as is, even if you're not usually a fan of one of the ingredients. After all, he doesn't even like smoked salmon, he tells us.
If you go: The chopped salad is just $15 (normally $23) at The Gladly on Mondays through August as part of the restaurant's "Summer of Salad" promo.
- They sell about 150-200 of them every summer Monday.