South Indian Caesar Salads: Classic and Wrap Variations in Chennai

Summary: South Indian Caesar Salads are available in such diverse recipes as the classic and wrap variations in Chennai, cosmopolitan capital of Tamil Nadu.

fresh-baked flatbread wrap-arounds of Chicken Caesar Salad in The Dining Room at luxurious Park Hyatt Chennai: Park Hyatt Chennai @ParkHyattChenn, via Twitter July 7, 2021

Caesar Salad originated in 1924 in Caesar's Restaurant, owned by Italian immigrant restauranteur Cesare "Caesar" Cardini (Feb. 24, 1896-Nov. 3, 1956) in Tijuana, Baja California state, northwestern Mexico. Less than 100 years after its creation, the classic recipe has achieved global familiarity and popularity and inspired enticing variations. Caesar Salad is consumed on all seven of Earth's continents. (Indeed, Seabourn, the ultra-luxury cruise line, noted in the company's Oct. 24, 2019, announcement of a voyage to Antarctica and Patagonia "table-side preparations of Caesar salad" as a treat for guests.)

Chennai, the cosmopolitan capital of Tamil Nadu state, conforms with the rest of the Indian subcontinent in appreciating Caesar Salad as a classic dish and as a recipe receptive to creativity. Known as Madras until August 1996, Chennai basks on the Bay of Bengal's picturesque Coromandel Coast as the Gateway to South India.

Food numbers among Chennai's many attributes. Chennai's culinary expertise was recognized through inclusion, as the only South Asian city, in National Geographic's "Top 10 Food Cities" list of 2015. Appearing after Louisville, Kentucky, Chennai was followed by Buffalo, New York; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Lyon, France; Cincinnati, Ohio; Osaka, Japan; Bologna, Italy; Edam, the Netherlands; and Ensenada, Mexico.

The Raintree Hotel, St. Mary's Road, is sited in Alwarpet, central Chennai. The five-star hotel is located southwest of Kapaleeshwarar Temple, a seventh-century complex dedicated to Shiva, the Hindu God of destruction. Self-described as "the warm boutique hotel, on a quiet, green avenue," The Raintree features three dining rooms: Colony, Chap Chay and Above Sea Level, the rooftop lounge.

Ritesh Patil, Chef de Cuisine for the rooftop lounge, shares his presentation of Cesare Cardini's salad in "Make the Perfect Caesar Salad," published Sep. 19, 2014, in The Hindu. Chef Ritesh's version adds bacon rashers (thinly-sliced bacon), brined anchovy fillets, black pepper (3 tablespoons) and lime juice to the original ingredients. It should be noted that variations of the original recipe often include anchovy fillets, which recapture the anchovy-like taste bestowed by Worcestershire sauce.

He portions two handfuls of romaine leaves for the salad's base. He constructs his dressing by halving one clove of garlic for rubbing the inside of the dressing bowl and then whisking two coddled eggs into olive oil (120 milliliters [4.05 ounces; a little over 1/2 cup]). One lime's juice, Parmesan cheese (grated, then powdered; 50 grams [1/4 cup]), salt (to taste), chopped anchovy fillets ((30 grams [1.05822 ounces; 3/8 cup]) and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO; 10 milliliters [0.33814 ounces; a little over two teaspoons]) complete the dressing. The golden croutons come from stale or old bread (60 grams [1/2 cup]), torn into one-inch pieces, for baking and tossing in 3 tablespoons of olive oil at 190° C. (374° F.), for about 10 to 15 minutes. Chef Ritesh recommends using a vegetable peeler for the seven to eight thin shavings of Parmesan cheese that top the salad.

Chef Ritesh extols Caesar Salad as an easy-to-make "heavenly classic." He identifies the salad's ability to please various taste buds via romaine's mildly bitter sweetness, lime's sourness, bacon's saltiness and the pungent interaction of parmesan with anchovies.

Chef Ritesh, a native Mumbaiker, says that, as of 2014, he had been living in Chennai for eight years. In "No Shortcut to Success," published Jan. 30, 2015, in The Hindu, he identifies his background as belonging to coastal Maharashtra state's Koli (fishermen) community. He relocated to Australia in 2015 and, since January 2019, has been Head Chef at Edwin Wine Bar & Cellar in Caroline Springs, Victoria state, southeastern Australia.

The Park Hyatt Hotel Chennai is sited on Velachery Road, southwest of The Raintree Hotel. The Park Hyatt Chennai aesthetically neighbors near Guindy National Park, the former game reserve that shelters Raj Bhavan ("Governor's Residence"), formerly Guindry Lodge and now the official residence of Tamil Nadu's governor.

The five-star hotel offers three restaurants, The Dining Room, The Flying Elephant and Mr. Ong -- The Flavours of Singapore. According to the hotel's website, the restaurants aim to "showcase a wide variety of cuisines portraying the diverse facets of Park Hyatt."

Balaji Natarajan has been The Park Hyatt Chennai's Executive Chef since October 2018. The native Tamilian began his career at the hotel as Executive Sous Chef in March 2012.

Inspiration for The Dining Room's menu comes from local household kitchens, with the mission of blending authenticity with home-style comfort food. The Dining Room's menu includes wraps, made from flatbreads freshly baked in the restaurant's bakery. The menu notes wraps as satisfying as "a snack or even a light meal." All wraps are served with a side of French fries. Wrap selections feature Freshly Baked Pita with Mediterranean Falafel, BBQ Pineapple Wrap and Breaded Chicken Caesar Salad. The Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap is accompanied with "tomato sauce (no bacon)," perfect for dipping fries and wraps.

India's flatbreads are "perfect for meals, snacks, on-the-go wraps, or appetizers," explains Mumbai-born, Ra'anana, Israel-transplanted, cake artist and food blogger Veena Azmanov in her Jan. 17, 2022, post, "Indian Flatbread -- Chapati, Roti, Paratha." The subcontinent's panoply of flatbreads tallies over 30 different types, according to restaurant reviewer Althea Tan's article, "Beginner's Guide to Indian Breads: 9 Types to Start With," posted Aug. 6, 2019, on Michelin Guide magazine's Dining Out section.

Chennai's seamless blend of modernity with tradition provides the inspiring setting for the internationally-favored Caesar Salad. The classic dish finds expression both in its original format and as creative variations.

The Raintree Hotel's Above Sea Level rooftop lounge's indoor and outdoor settings provide the perfect ambience for such gustatory delights as classic Caesar Salad: The Raintree, St Marys Road @The.Raintree.Stmarysroad, via Facebook Feb. 16, 2022

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

fresh-baked flatbread wrap-arounds of Chicken Caesar Salad in The Dining Room at luxurious Park Hyatt Chennai: Park Hyatt Chennai @ParkHyattChenn, via Twitter July 7, 2021, @ https://twitter.com/ParkHyattChenn/status/1412742102866219009

The Raintree Hotel's Above Sea Level rooftop lounge's indoor and outdoor settings provide the perfect ambience for such gustatory delights as classic Caesar Salad: The Raintree, St Marys Road @The.Raintree.Stmarysroad, via Facebook Feb. 16, 2022, @ https://www.facebook.com/The.Raintree.Stmarysroad/posts/4790465067688683

For further information:

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Marriner, Derdriu. "Beware the Ides of March Meal: Caesar or Brutus Salad, Cleopatra's Dulcis Coccora, Caesar Cocktail." Earth and Space News. Thursday, March 10, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/03/beware-ides-of-march-meal-caesar-or.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Beware the Ides of March: The Assassination of Julius Caesar." Earth and Space News. Thursday, March 3, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/03/beware-ides-of-march-assassination-of.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Caesar Salad Recipe: Named for Chef Cesare Cardini, Not Julius Caesar." Earth and Space News. Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/03/caesar-salad-recipe-named-for-chef.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Mumbai Caesar Salads: Creative, Original and Sophisticated Variations." Earth and Space News. March 24, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/03/mumbai-caesar-salads-creative-original.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "North Indian Chicken Caesar Salad: Celebrate Julius Caesar's Birthday July 12 or 13." Wizzley. Monday, July 12, 2021.
Available @ https://wizzley.com/north-indian-chicken-caesar-salad-celebrate-julius-caesar-s-birthday-july-12-or-13/

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Park Hyatt Chennai @ParkHyattChenn. "Midweek indulgence should include a Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap. Light, nutritious and delightful. Enjoy in the comfort of your home or drop by The Dining Room. Call +91 8939871128 or visit http://spr.ly/6187yymWP." Twitter. July 7, 2021.
Available @ https://twitter.com/ParkHyattChenn/status/1412742102866219009

Patil, Ritesh. "Make the Perfect Caesar Salad." The Hindu > Features > Metroplus > Food. Sep. 19, 2014.
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The Raintree, St Marys Road @The.Raintree.Stmarysroad. "The Raintree, St Marys Road is at Above Sea Level. A vibrant vibe built into the ultimate rooftop experience paired with a supreme culinary experience awaits you at Above Sea Level. A space where you can relax, unwind and beat the heat of the afternoon, only at The Raintree, St. Mary's Road." Facebook. Feb. 16, 2022.
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Mumbai Caesar Salads: Creative, Original and Sophisticated Variations

Summary: Mumbai Caesar salads present creative, original and sophisticated variations of the internationally favored dish of greens.

Hitchki's Chicken Caesar Salad innovatively presents fillings of grilled chicken, dressing and Parmesan cheese in clubhouse sandwich-styled stacks of baked papad: Hitchki, India @hitchkiindia, via Twitter Jan. 24, 2018

Mumbai Caesar salads present creative, original and sophisticated variations of the international classic created in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1924.

The simple, elegant dish of greens with an international allure was created in 1924 by Italian immigrant restauranteur Cesare "Caesar" Cardini's (Feb. 24, 1896-Nov. 3, 1956) in his namesake restaurant, Caesar's Restaurant, in his namesake hotel, Hotel Caesar's, in Tijuana, the largest city in Baja California, Mexico's northernmost and westernmost state. The salad's simple elegance was achieved by blending romaine lettuce with garlic-flavored croutons, grated Parmesan cheese, two coddled eggs and Worcestershire sauce.

Almost a century after its creation, Caesar Salad has achieved global popularity. Its allure easily inheres in the salad's attractiveness, ease of preparation and tastiness. Additionally, this simply elegant dish of greens allows for seemingly endless variations, as vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes.

India's cosmopolitan, west coast metropolis of Mumbai confidently features Caesar Salad in private and public settings. In fact, in her July 4, 2021, article, "#CaesarSaladDay: These actors love their bowl of caesar salad!," Times of India correspondent Farzana Patowari presents eight television stars who enthusiastically favor Caesar Salad. Caesar Salad's versatility, satisfying tastiness and reliable nutritiousness are extolled by Sharad Malhotra of Naagin ("Female Serpent") supernatural fiction television series, Nikki Tamboli of Bigg Boss reality television game show, Rithvik Dhanjani of Super Dancer kids dance reality television series, Kamna Pathak of Happu Ki Ultan Paltan sitcom television series, Akshay Kharodia of Pandya Store television drama series, Amitt Singh of Ranju Ki Betiyan ("Ranju's Daughters") television drama series, and Pulkit Bangia and Viviana Singh of Apna Time Bhi Aayega ("My Time Will Also Come") television drama series.

Caesar Salad finds expression in a range of variations, from classic styling to creative and sophisticated panache, in the cosmopolitan, yet also traditional, culture of Maharashtra's state capital. Chef Varun Inamdar's (born Oct. 15, 1984) Caesar Salad celebrates the dish's original styling. Hitchki's intriguing menu includes an innovatively-styled Caesar Salad.

Author, celebrity chef, chocolatier, food stylist, Guinness World Record winner for largest chocolate mud pie (2018) and television personality Varun Inamdar appears in "The Bombay Chef," produced by Rajshri Foods of Rajshri Productions Pvt. Ltd., a film production and distribution company based, since 1947, in Mumbai. The show's Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016, episode, "Caesar Salad Recipe / How To Make Salad / Homemade Caesar Salad," has garnered 2,158,594 views as of Wednesday, March 23, 2022.

Chef Inamdar hearkens back to the Classic Caesar Salad recipe. As Chef Varun adds ingredients, he observes the frequent tossing that characterizes Chef Cesare's original recipe. He sprinkles finely chopped parsley, black pepper and Parmesan cheese over olive oil-toasted white bread cubes and minced garlic.

Chef Varun mixes vegetarian, soy-based mayonnaise with salt, black pepper, chopped parsley, minced garlic, grated Parmesan cheese and one tablespoon of chilled water for the salad's dressing. He explains that the water is essential for yielding a fluid, not runny, dressing that overcomes mayonnaise's natural clumpiness.

Chef Varun's dressing agrees mostly with the second dressing that Cesare Cardini designed for his salad. Worcestershire sauce served as the salad's original dressing. Subsequently, Chef Cesare created the dressing known as Caesar Salad Dressing or Caesar Cardini's Dressing. The emulsion of soybean oil, egg yolk and white wine vinegar included such flavorings as celery seed, garlic, lemon juice concentrate, mustard seed, onion salt and tamarind. He included anchovies to recapture the anchovy-flavoring associated with Worcestershire sauce.

Chef Varun identifies the salad's greens as cos lettuce, also known as romaine. He grates Parmesan cheese over the cut- and hand-torn lettuce. Then he adds the croutons prior to another toss. After spooning the dressing over the salad, he tops the delectable dish with a grating of Parmesan cheese.

Contrasting with Chef Varun's traditional Caesar Salad is the clubhouse sandwich-styled layering of the innovative Caesar Salad offered by Hitchki. The Mumbai-based restaurant has five locations in its birthplace and two locations in the United Arab Emirates.

Hitchki's website notes its aspirations as an international brand focused on "regional & eclectic cuisine." The brand aims to imbue each dish with a "quirky touch" that emerges from contemporary preparations of India's traditional flavors. Also, Hitchki seeks to curate "the most fervent international dishes" in the brand's style.

Hitchki's Chicken Caesar Salad dramatically exhibits the brand's take on an international dish. Hitchki's non-vegetarian recipe creatively stacks its Chicken Caesar Salad with layers of baked papad, India's traditional, thin wafers. The clubhouse sandwich-styled fillings of grilled chicken, Caesar dressing and a topping of Parmesan cheese shavings contrast attractively and tastily with the crunchy, Indian touch of papad.

Cosmopolitan Mumbai's enthusiastic embrace of traditional Caesar Salad and creative, sophisticated, vegetarian and non-vegetarian variations mirrors the salad's popularity throughout the Indian subcontinent.

Chef Varun Inamdar's Caesar Salad honors the simple, elegant classic recipe created almost 100 years ago, in 1924, by Cesare "Caesar" Cardini in Tijuana, Mexico: The Food TV Channel @FoodTVChannel, via Twitter March 13, 2016

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

Hitchki's Chicken Caesar Salad innovatively presents fillings of grilled chicken, dressing and Parmesan cheese in clubhouse sandwich-styled stacks of baked papad: Hitchki, India @hitchkiindia, via Twitter Jan. 24, 2018, @ https://twitter.com/hitchkiindia/status/956066541656657920

Rajshri Foods. "Caesar Salad Recipe / How To Make Salad / Homemade Caesar Salad / The Bombay Chef / Varun Inamdar." YouTube. Feb. 25, 2016.
Available @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta62syygWO8

Chef Varun Inamdar's Caesar Salad honors the simple, elegant classic recipe created almost 100 years ago, in 1924, by Cesare "Caesar" Cardini in Tijuana, Mexico: The Food TV Channel @FoodTVChannel, via Twitter March 13, 2016, @ https://twitter.com/FoodTVChannel/status/709023026487013378

For further information:

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Available @ https://www.eazydiner.com/food-trends/innovative-salads

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The Food TV Channel @FoodTVChannel. "Caesar Salad Recipe / Homemade Caesar Salad / The Bombay Chef -- Varun Inamdar http://rzq.cz/WmhZR." Twitter. March 13, 2016.
Available @ https://twitter.com/FoodTVChannel/status/709023026487013378

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Available @ https://www.hitchki.co/

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Available @ https://twitter.com/hitchkiindia/status/956066541656657920

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Marriner, Derdriu. "Beware the Ides of March Meal: Caesar or Brutus Salad, Cleopatra's Dulcis Coccora, Caesar Cocktail." Earth and Space News. Thursday, March 10, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/03/beware-ides-of-march-meal-caesar-or.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Beware the Ides of March: The Assassination of Julius Caesar." Earth and Space News. Thursday, March 3, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/03/beware-ides-of-march-assassination-of.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Caesar Salad Recipe: Named for Chef Cesare Cardini, Not Julius Caesar." Earth and Space News. Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/03/caesar-salad-recipe-named-for-chef.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "North Indian Chicken Caesar Salad: Celebrate Julius Caesar's Birthday July 12 or 13." Wizzley. Monday, July 12, 2021.
Available @ https://wizzley.com/north-indian-chicken-caesar-salad-celebrate-julius-caesar-s-birthday-july-12-or-13/

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Available @ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/caesarsaladday-these-actors-love-their-bowl-of-caesar-salad/photostory/84093703.cms

Rajshri Foods. "Caesar Salad Recipe / How To Make Salad / Homemade Caesar Salad / The Bombay Chef / Varun Inamdar." YouTube. Feb. 25, 2016. Available @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta62syygWO8