Go Green

 These salads are serious meals.

//By Samantha Simma

The West may be best known for its wild game and locally raised meats, and in Jackson Hole, salads stand by on menus as unsung heroes. Packed with fresh (and, in summer, often locally grown), vibrant ingredients, they can be as passionately composed as main courses. “The salad is not just a dish; it reflects our commitment to bringing people together through the universal language of food,” says Figs general manager Sadek Darwiche. Here are five local salads worthy of epicurean curiosity.

When vetting a new menu item, Healthy Being Café & Juicery owner Jessica Vandenbroeke says, “We choose dishes that provide beautifully balanced fresh flavors, complementary textures, and a complete nutrient profile.” The cafe’s Falafel Bowl does just that, which has made it a longstanding menu item. “I have always loved traditional Middle Eastern falafel—how healthy, balanced, and tasty it is,” Vandenbroeke says. “So, creating the healthiest version for our menu was a must.” Healthy Being’s rendition is a dehydrated nut-based falafel crumble that keeps consumers satiated, served atop a bed of romaine and accentuated by fresh tomato and cucumbers, kalamata olives, dollops of creamy house-made hummus and cashew tzatziki, and drizzled with a zesty lemon-herb vinaigrette. “While our falafel salad meets our menu standards, we’re not the only ones who think so—it’s been our most popular salad for the past seven years,” Vandenbroeke says. $15; Open daily 7 a.m.–6 p.m.; 165 E. Broadway Ave.; 307/200-9006, hbcafeandjuicery.com

Inspired by the mother of Marcos Hernandez, chef and owner of Streetfood at the Stagecoach, Carmela’s Chopped Salad incorporates all of her favorite flavors. Hernandez credits Carmela for teaching him to cook, and to this day, she remains a major influence on his food. When Hernandez first made the salad—romaine, cucumber, tomato, red onion, avocado, spiced pepitas, queso fresco, and jalapeño-lime vinaigrette—it was for Butter, a Victor, Idaho, restaurant owned and operated by Hernandez and his wife, Amelia Hatchard. It was so well-received that they added it to the menu at Streetfood at the Stagecoach, so diners on both sides of Teton Pass might enjoy it. “The balance of the spiced pepitas, the creamy cheese, and the sweet and tangy dressing makes for a delicious salad that’ll make you forget you’re eating your vegetables,” Hatchard says. The pepitas are spiced with a blend of cayenne, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. While one might think that the jalapeño-lime vinaigrette carries some heat, it doesn’t. “We balance the spice from the jalapeño with piloncillo, which is raw cane sugar,” Hatchard says. $14; Open daily 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; 5755 W. WY-22, Wilson; 307/200-6633, streetfoodjh.com

“Our Halloumi Salad is not just an ensemble of ingredients; it is a narrative that reflects our commitment to preserving and sharing the authentic flavors of Lebanese cuisine,” Figs general manager Sadek Darwiche says. This salad’s origins are in the cuisine of the Eastern Mediterranean, specifically in the culinary traditions of the Levant region, where halloumi cheese is a staple. “With a high melting point, this cheese embraces the sizzle of a hot pan or the sear of a grill, elevating it to the ranks of a favored meat substitute,” Darwiche says. In this salad, it is combined with cucumber, tomatoes, walnuts, pomegranate arils, fresh arugula, and a pomegranate balsamic vinaigrette. $18; Open daily 7–11 a.m., 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m., 5:30–9 p.m.; 120 N. Glenwood St.; 307/733-2200, hoteljackson.com

An unexpected delight on the menu at Local Restaurant & Bar is its Duck Salad, the centerpiece of which is a confit duck leg. The richly savory duck rests atop a bed of delicate glass noodles and seasonal mixed greens that might include romaine, tango, mizuna, green chard, arugula, radicchio, or frisée. There are also cucumbers, pickled carrots, red cabbage, cashews, crispy wontons, and cilantro. The nuttiness of the cashews mellows the tanginess from the pickled carrots, while a miso vinaigrette is both savory and sweet. Available on Local’s bar menu during both lunch and dinner, the salad may be served to patrons in the dining room upon request. $22; Open Monday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; 55 N. Cache St.; 307/201-1717, localjh.com

“Guests don’t look at the menu and think, ‘I just had a salad like that yesterday,’” says Gavin Fine, owner and founder of Fine Dining Restaurant Group, of The Bistro’s Frisée Aux Lardons Salad. In this traditional French salad, frisée is combined with applewood-smoked lardons, pickled shallots, potato, poached egg, and a classic red wine vinaigrette. “The fat from the lardons and poached egg makes a great complement to the acidity of the vinaigrette, while the frisée adds a fresh, light element to the dish,” Fine says. “Eggs are often found in salads in the U.S., but they are typically hard-boiled. Upon serving this salad, the poached egg is intended to be poked with a fork, allowing the runny yolk to spill out and be mixed with the rest of the salad. The yolk melds everything together and gives a delicious richness to the dish.” $19; Open daily 7 a.m.–close; 112 Center St.; 307/739-1100, thebistrojacksonhole.com JH