The Best Salad Ever? Rosemary Bistro, Chevy Chase, Washington, DC

Our good friends Bob and Babs McCurley were up from Tuscaloosa for the American Law Institute Conference annual meeting, and we got together with them. We showed off Ella and Lily (and Michael and Liza) and then took them to Rosemary Bistro. I’ve written about both the McCurley and Rosemary Bistro many times before, and figured that I wouldn’t do another post. I was blithely enjoying their company, and then I tasted my salad, the Frisée aux Lardons ($16). Wow! I devoured it, but I became utterly unaware of the concept of photography or much else until the salad was only a fond memory.

The memory lingered. Was it really that good? Was it really the best salad I’d ever eaten?

I made a special trip back to Rosemary Bistro as soon as I could to find out. I arrived early, a little after 5:00 pm, just as Rosemary was opening. I was on a tight schedule, as I had to get back home and make dinner, which involved cutting up and grilling a whole chicken along with some peppers and onions.

It was during rush hour, a loud, a fierce clash on Connecticut Avenue, so I sat inside. Such a charming, relaxing oasis, with the colorful posters, the warm copper color of the pressed tin ceiling, and the whimsy of the Chihuly-like lighting fixtures.

I was seated promptly, presented with water and a menu. I immediately ordered the frisée salad with nary a glance at the menu. I was on a mission. Warm bread appeared. I hadn’t planned on eating any bread, but a slice leapt into my hand and then forced its way into my mouth. I decided to photograph the remainder.

I’ve written about the bread at Rosemary Bistro before. I like bread in general, but I love Rosemary’s bread. I didn’t even add butter until the last slice. The salad arrived, and my last care in the world vanished.

The first thing that hits you is the aroma of the lardons, and there are few finer aromas. Then the colors, the red-tipped radish slices, the pink of the onion, the green of the frisée, the earthy colors ranging from the deep brown of the duck to the maroonish hues of the lardons and the chestnut-fringed beige of the diced potatoes, plus the pure white of the poached egg, soon to burst into a glorious yellow.

And then a taste.

You’re thinking, Tanner is getting positively Byronic here, but that’s because you haven’t tasted this salad. There’s such a mix of flavors, all balanced and complementary — the richness of the lardons and confit duck on one side and the mild bitterness and peppery flavor of the frisée, and the light bite of the radish and onion, and the light balsamic vinaigrette on the other, moderated by the potatoes, all tied together by that wonderful egg yolk.

This is easily the best salad I’ve ever eaten, including lobster salads. Well, maybe the one I had in Paris years ago topped by a thick slice of foie gras the size of a dessert plate, but then that salad was only so-so except for the foie gras and some smoked duck breast.

While I’m here, I’ll add that after my rapturous salad with the McCurley, I had enjoyed veal sweetbreads ($22). Here they are, mixed with mushrooms, flanked and embraced by velvety mashed potatoes and a delicious Madera sauce. This was a great dish, again topped and brightened by the radish and onion.

I’d never tried sweetbreads until our magnificent dinner at La Ferme. I tried some of Michael’s and the scales fell from my eyes. Like many people, I’d shied away from atypical body parts until our trip to Lyons. Since then I have had only two dishes I didn’t finish (here and here), but many more home runs. Just a thought.

But Rosemary Bistro is full of home runs. We’ve never had a weak dish there, and have enjoyed some great ones. The Frisée aux Lardons is a grand slam, a truly delicious dish and enough for an exceptional lunch– for $16. Think about that, and head to Rosemary Bistro.

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