The Dish: The Cesar at ’ZZA Pizza + Salad
The spelling is no mistake—and ordering this healthy option at 'ZZA isn't either.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
What looks like a typo is pronounced differently as well: The Cesar (pronounced say-ZAHR) is a modern-Mexican version of Caesar Cardini’s classic as interpreted by ’ZZA executive chef Cary McDowell. One of eight salads (priced at $9), it has a base that’s a 50/50 mix of romaine (for moisture) and kale (for texture) that’s been mellowed by “bruising,” followed by a squeeze of lime. The former fine-dining chef adds rings of tricolor mini-peppers, cubes of slow-cooked chicken, tortilla chip “croutons,” and cotija cheese (softer and less sharp than its Greek cousin feta). The faintly smoky dressing contains chipotles in adobo, and the salad is finished with a generous shake of tajín (a blend of chilies and dehydrated lime), one of McDowell’s go-to secret seasonings. “I love it—I can’t let go of it,” he says, “and it totally makes this salad.”
Photo by Carmen Troesser, courtesy of 'ZZA Pizza + Salad
