Fries on That

Isabella brings a taste of the 'Burgh to the 570

Gene Padden

You have to love those anally retentive, mid-life bingo joggers who are quick on the trigger to remind you of the damage a tasty salad dressing can do to your health. Yes, Ruthie, I am well aware that a tablespoon of ranch dressing contains 74 calories. But you know what? It's worth it to make this plate of garbage taste good.

It has to happen. The time has come to banish the practice of stale, yellow-lettuce salads from their place at the table. And thankfully, somewhere down the line of salad evolution, someone decided to expound these courses to levels far beyond the acceptable pre-game show for the real food.

If you check the menus at most restaurants, it's like they're just tossing plate-ready entrees into a bowl with some lettuce mixed in for posterity. Like the vapidity of the lettuce will somehow cancel out the Buffalo wings you dumped on top.

At ec/dc, we support the effort, even when it isn't the best conceived.  And we say if you're going to order a salad, go all the way. The dressing? It's an afterthought. You go for the balsamic vinaigrette and then you make sure that bad boy comes with the greatest condiment of all time - French fries.

Oh, this has been common in Pittsburgh forever. You hit a joint like Primanti Brothers, and those fries come in the sandwich. And if you order a salad, you'll have to excavate those puppies to reach green.

At Isabella in Plains, Chef Rudy serves up a Pittsburgh Salad as good as any you'll find five hours west. Lettuce, balsamic, bell peppers, cheddar cheese, and fries. And, you can add chicken, filet mignon, salmon, shrimp, or tuna to the mix.

It's like the new McD.L.T. Perfectly golden (and warm) fries atop this chilly batch of goodness with baby tomatoes and steak rounding the edges. No fingering, here; you have to fork the fries through the lettuce so that the dressing has a chance to oil the fries.

And then, you smile. You just enjoyed a quick lunch that's light, yet filling. And you didn't use up enough of your guilt reserves to keep you from the coffee and dessert.