Area restaurateurs top their salad game with tasty accoutrements and house-made dressings.
Originally made to serve as a late-night snack with a hodgepodge of ingredients mixed together in pure delight, the Cobb salad is a quintessential American food fan favorite. Little did Brown Derby restaurant owner Robert Cobb know in 1937 that when he combined the distinct ingredients he’d scraped together from his line, it would forever change the salad plate. Today, chefs in Reno-Tahoe have their own interpretations of the lunchtime staple, and here we’ll discover a few of the area’s best versions.
Tradition at Bistro 7
The Cobb at Bistro 7 in Reno is a representation of the tried and true. As restaurant co-owner Erin Bogart notes, “I think a Cobb salad should have all the key ingredients we have, such as chicken, bacon, hard-boiled egg, red onion, tomato, bleu cheese crumbles, and avocado.”
Best described as light yet filling, the dish served at Bistro 7 is topped with a house-made white balsamic vinaigrette made with fresh herbs. And Bogart encourages patrons to make it their own with extras such as olives, roasted bell peppers, artichokes, or chickpeas.
Bighorn Tavern’s Pickled Perfection
A salad topped with the typical Cobb elements and only fresh, homemade ingredients, the version served at Bighorn Tavern in Reno carries some extra zing from pickled onions, roasted beets, and homemade bleu cheese dressing. The burst of flavors can be elevated even more with a selection of proteins, including steak, shrimp, or tofu.
Rotisserie Chicken at Redwood
The highlight of the Cobb salad at Redwood Rotisserie + Grill in Reno has to be its rotisserie chicken — brined for 24 to 48 hours before being cooked low and slow. It’s juicy and filled with flavor.
“[The chicken] is complemented by fresh produce from Bonanza Produce in Sparks and thick-cut, applewood-smoked bacon,” explains Melissa Hoffman, marketing director at Redwood Rotisserie + Grill. “We are Cobb salad purists! We believe every Cobb salad should feature six ingredients: chicken, bacon, bleu cheese, avocado, tomato, and a hard-boiled egg.”
When it comes to Redwood’s house-made white balsamic dressing and Cobb salad recipe, the team is happy to share (see recipe following the story), but it can’t guarantee the same result without that hallmark rotisserie chicken. For that, head on over to Redwood.
Full Belly Deli Brings the Heat
With two locations in Reno and one in Truckee, Full Belly Deli serves its version of the Cobb with crispy fried avocado and jalapeño ranch dressing, which is made in house. This combo brings the spice, which is accentuated by a rich, smoky flavor from bacon cooked to perfection. In addition to the staples, cilantro and red onion are added to enhance the flavor profile.
Bacon Steals the Show at PJ’s
Described as fresh and full, the Cobb salad served at PJ & Co. in Reno will definitely leave you asking for a to-go box. Kelley Marty, manager of PJ & Co., explains that the salad bowls are big and they come full, with delicious salad and intention.
“To me, a Cobb is the familiar garden salad elevated,” she explains. “With a smorgasbord of ingredients, a Cobb should fill every corner of your tummy and stimulate the entirety of your palate. Our housemade bacon bits are the ultimate meaty, crunchy, salty combination, and they meld magically with the creamy pungency of bleu cheese crumbles to kickstart your salivary glands. Every bite after is livened with sweet tangy tomato that hydrates and is great juxtaposed with the creaminess of the cheeses.”
A fan of pretty much any salad, Heidi Bethel strives to eat salad for either lunch or dinner every day. She looks forward to a great Cobb and can’t wait to add some creative extras to her next plate.
Redwood Cobb Salad
(courtesy of Melissa Hoffman, marketing director, Redwood Rotisserie + Grill in Reno. Serves 1)
¾ cup shredded rotisserie chicken
⅛ cup bleu cheese crumbles
¼ cup diced tomatoes
¼ medium avocado, pitted and sliced
2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 hard-boiled egg
Fresh spring mix
White balsamic dressing (recipe to follow)
Layer all ingredients over a bowl of fresh spring mix. Top with white balsamic dressing or a dressing of your choice, and enjoy!
For white balsamic dressing
1 cup white balsamic vinegar
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoons honey
1½ cups water
Blend with immersion blender or kitchen-top blender until smooth and creamy.
Cobb Toppings
In addition to the tasty additions already mentioned, here are a few more morsels to consider when ordering or constructing your perfect Cobb salad:
Cucumbers
Pepperoncini
Watercress
Mushrooms
Hearts of palm
Baby corn or corn kernels
Roasted potatoes
Capers
Fried onions or jalapeños
Canned pears or dried cranberries
Pine nuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds
Veggie sausages
Turkey or coconut bacon
Tempeh
Shrimp, crab, or lobster
Ham or turkey
Smoked sausages
Pulled pork
Chicken fingers
Croutons
Tortilla strips or sesame sticks
Garlic toast
Pro tip: Mix it up with your dressing choice — honey mustard, poppy seed, Italian … the list can go on and on. At Redwood Rotisserie + Grill, the kitchen staff even mixes house-made ranch and white balsamic together for a tasty combo.
Resources
Bighorntavernreno.com
Bistro7reno.com
Eatfullbellydeli.com
Pjandco.net
Redwoodreno.com
