CAESAR SALAD

There's Caesar salad and then there's Brewer's Republic's Caesar salad. It's far better than most around these parts. And it's all in the details. It starts with the basic salad tossed with a classic Caesar dressing, but then the taste is amped up with white anchovies — the best choice for superior fish flavor. Next are the garnishes: Grana Padano cheese, cured egg yolks, focaccia croûtons and crispy capers. I love the egg yolks. They're cured in a mixture of salt and sugar for five days, then gently washed and baked for several hours. The bright-yellow yolks are grated over the salad, giving it a sweet and salty accent. Fried capers are such a crunchy treat with their salty accent. The Parmesan is also high quality. A choice of proteins are offered for an additional charge: confit chicken, lamb meatballs or Italian sausage. I go with the chicken every time. “Confit” describes the ancient French method of cooking the chicken. The meat is salted and slowly cooked either in its own fat or in duck fat. The result is moist, silky meat with a slightly smoky flavor and buttery-rich texture. It's shredded and arranged, warm, on the salad. How nice to dine where so much detail and culinary technique goes into the preparation of a simple dish.