It’s summer, aka salad season, and whether you’re already a superfan or a sceptic haunted by soggy lettuce, Elisha Young has some refreshing suggestions for you
What is a salad? Sorry – not to get too philosophical on you – but we need to clarify this before I offer any recommendations.
When you picture a salad in your head, it probably involves a lot of green leaves tossed together with other raw vegetables. But then what is potato salad? Egg or tuna salad? All I’m saying is that, if you think you don’t like salad, you probably just haven’t found the right one for you yet. That’s why I’m here to help.
Taste revelations
Vanderlyle makes salad with local produce
If you’re a salad sceptic, Caesar salad is a good place to start, mainly because it’s hard to dislike any dish that involves large amounts of croutons and parmesan cheese – and you often have the option of adding bacon or chicken too. Cafe Foy serves up a classic Caesar salad, and has the advantage of being right on the Cambridge quayside, so you can take in the riverside views and atmosphere. Scott’s All Day is another good choice for a Caesar – if you can resist the siren call of the excellent Neapolitan and Detroit-style pizzas. The menu also has grain salad with giant couscous, roasted red peppers and pesto, as well as house salad with artichokes and toasted seeds.
Another beginner-friendly dish is Greek salad, thanks to its fresh taste, salty tang (honestly, feta makes everything better) and satisfying crunch from the cucumber, red onions and peppers. This is actually my picnic salad of choice because it’s simple to prepare, keeps well and is a crowd-pleaser. But since I can’t really invite everyone who reads this to a picnic, you’ll have to head to The Olive Grove on Regent Street instead.
Aficionado flavours
For experienced salad lovers, I recommend Amelie at Ben’s Yard and Flock Cafe at Burwash Manor. Coincidentally, both of these eateries are a little further out of Cambridge, surrounded by small indie shops and with free parking. Although my dog doesn’t go in for salads, both locations are also dog friendly, so you can bring your four-legged friend along.
The Amelie tomato and feta salad is something I still think about. It had that perfect balance of acidity, sweetness, saltiness and seasoning, all while tasting of perfectly ripe tomatoes. It was so good that my boyfriend was fighting me for the last of the dish – and he doesn’t even like tomatoes! At time of writing, this salad isn’t featured on the menu (although I have my fingers crossed it will make a reappearance during tomato season), but you have the option of couscous and pomegranate salad or asparagus, chicory and jersey royal salad with avocado and candied walnuts.
For unique explorative salads made with local produce, look no further than 1+1 Rougamo
As with Amelie, the dishes at Flock Cafe vary depending on what’s in season, but I can wholeheartedly recommend the salads. Last time I was there, the salad was pomegranate and coriander tabbouleh with baharat-roasted courgette and butternut squash, served with whipped feta, mixed leaves and mint oil. This was no vegetarian afterthought of a dish; instead it was fresh, vibrant and flavourful, with plenty of textural contrasts and interesting seasoning that made you want to go back for seconds.
If you fancy something more upmarket, Vanderlyle is the final word in delicious vegetables. It’s a vegetarian fine-dining restaurant on Mill Road that serves up creative and unconventional dishes (think strawberry ragu in a Chinese-style bao), but always manages to be delicious. And if you visit in the summer, the seasonal tasting menu often includes a salad with ingredients sourced from farms very close to Cambridge. When I was there last September, I tried the salad of French beans, peach, badger flame beetroot and cashew parfait, and it was a fantastic way to showcase some of our local produce.
Dare to be different
Still not convinced on salads? You could go the unconventional route and try out a smashed cucumber or cold seaweed salad from 1+1 Rougamo on Regent Street. Or the marinated tofu salad from Zhonghua Traditional Snacks. There’s even the mixed kelp silk with Chinese leaf and spring onion from Cafe Oriental & Dumpling Bar on Burleigh Street. None of these dishes are what you might expect of a salad, but they’re all still worth trying if you want to expand your culinary horizons.
So, what is a salad really? The definition doesn’t actually matter, as long as you manage to find something you enjoy – whether that’s with a side of croutons or an accompanying cashew parfait.
The real question is: which one will you dare to try first?
See Elisha’s Instagram @elisha.eats and read June’s article for up-to-date reviews of eats around Cambridge
