Casa Vega is reaching back in time and embracing family ties to celebrate what is perhaps the most famous salad ever.
This year, the simple but ubiquitous Caesar Salad, which was invented in Tijuana, Mexico, turns 100 years old and the long established San Fernando Valley restaurant is adding the original salad to its menu with the help of a Michelin-starred chef who owns the eatery where it all started.
“It’s just a perfect blend of ingredients, a perfect combination of flavors. For me it’s just a perfect recipe. Everyone loves this salad and it’s traveled worldwide,” said Javier Plascencia, chef and owner of Restaurante Caesar’s in Tijuana, Mexico, where the salad was invented in 1924. To further commemorate the anniversary, Casa Vega is also offering a free Caesar Salad on July 4 with the purchase of an entree.
Plascencia visited Casa Vega in late June to celebrate the salad’s anniversary and the restaurant’s 68-year anniversary and prepared the salad tableside.
“They’re now going to recreate the authentic recipe, make it tableside and add it to their menu,” he said.
According to Plascencia, the salad was invented at the Tijuana restaurant by the owner Caesar Cardini, who opened his place on Avenida Revolucion in 1923.
As the story goes, after a very busy day on July 4 a late night crowd came into the restaurant and asked if they could still eat something. Cardini then looked around his kitchen and after being slammed all day he realized that he only had a few ingredients left, including olive oil, Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, lettuce, garlic, lemons and some eggs. So he blended these ingredients with lettuce to create the famous salad. It wasn’t until a few years later that he added anchovies.
“They came up with this creation and they loved it and people started asking for the salad and then Cardini started making it tableside,” Plascencia said.
His Tijuana restaurant still prepares the salad tableside as it was done 100 years ago and people still love it and order about 3,500 salads per week. Plascencia is also happy that Casa Vega will be serving his original salad because they share a special connection.
“That restaurant is part of the family. Ray Vega who started Casa Vega, is my mom’s cousin. It’s a landmark in L.A. and for us it’s an honor they will be serving this classic recipe,” he said.
Casa Vega is at 13301 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks; 818-788-4868 or casavega.com
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