Where to buy giant salads in LA, and how to make dressing at home

With summer temperatures, you might want to avoid the oven, and instead have a salad. Good Food host Evan Kleiman has tips on where to get good to-go salads. We're talking about big salads — with tons of crunch made in a giant bowl with dressing. She also offers her own garlic-parmesan dressing recipe.

Recipe: Evan’s Garlic-Parmesan Salad Dressing

Peeled garlic to taste (use one clove for every three people)
Salt
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Grated parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano

Using a garlic press, puree the garlic into the salad bowl. Add a bit of salt and mix together with the garlic using the back of a wooden spoon. Add oil, then vinegar (use a 2/3 oil to 1/3 vinegar mix). Add a handful of grated cheese. Stir. 

Don’t apologize to anyone for your garlic breath.

Recommendations on where to buy salad: 

Chopped Salad

La Scala in Beverly Hills
Jean Leon Original Chopped Salad - lettuce, salami, mozzarella cheese, marinated garbanzo beans, leon dressing.

Emilio Trattoria in Encino
The Chopped Salad - your choice of (salami, turkey, tuna, or chicken) with lettuce garbanzo, beans, and mozzarella cheese.

Cosa Buona in Echo Park
Chopped Salad - salame, provolone, peperoncini olives.

Pizzeria Mozza near Hancock Park
Nancy’s Chopped Salad - iceberg lettuce, radicchio, red onion, provolone, salami, cherry tomatoes, ceci, dry oregano, oregano vinaigrette.

Cobb Salad 

The Grill on The Alley in Beverly Hills

Aroma Coffee and Tea in Studio City
Classic Cobb with Grilled Marinated Chicken - chicken breast, hard-boiled egg, tomato, applewood smoked bacon, Bleu cheese, avocado, with romaine + balsamic vinaigrette.

Chinese Chicken Salad 

Feast from the East in Westwood
Chinese Chicken Salad - your choice of iceberg lettuce or chopped kale or romaine lettuce, shredded chicken, sliced almonds, sesame seeds, scallions, and signature wonton strips and top-selling sesame dressing.

Petit Trois in Hollywood and Sherman Oaks
Chinese Salad - mixed lettuces, Napa cabbage, shredded chicken, fried peanuts, potato chips, sesame vinaigrette.

Joan’s on Third in Beverly Grove

Fattoush

Carousel in Glendale and Hollywood
Fattoush Salad - cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, spices, toasted pita chips, verdolaga (seasonal availability), with sumac-citrus vinaigrette.

Tabbouleh

Sunnin in Westwood
Tabouleh Salad - parsley, tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, burgul cracked wheat and extra virgin olive oil.

“Goddess”

Little Flower in Pasadena
Goddess - butter lettuce, haricot vert, chives, cucumber, feta, hard boiled egg, lemon thyme vinaigrette.

Papaya Salad

Lum-ka-naad in Reseda
Som Tum (Papaya Salad) - julienne of green papaya with three flavors of choice: (1) Thai style flavor, mixed with garlic, Thai chilies, tomatoes, dried shrimp, ground peanuts and lime juice. (2) Salted crab flavor, add salted crab and green beans. (3) Pickled fish flavored, add pickled fish and green beans.

Song Fung Khong in North Hollywood
Half-brined rice paddy crabs and a chunky funky condiment made from fermented river fish.