I'm afraid my old laptop is on its last legs. Last summer, I started getting email reminders from Microsoft saying they would no longer support Windows 7 machines. Plus, my antivirus software is out of date. As of January 2021, Adobe killed off Flash Player, and my Internet Explorer web browser has been acting buggy. I really need to start shopping for a new computer. Still, I hate to pony up a grand or more, so I decided to try to clean up my bloated hard drive by deleting programs, apps, files, photos, and documents I rarely use or need.
Some of my stuff was over 10 years old. Most was from my days on the road, when I traveled my company’s Baton Rouge territory. I even had all my old HR documents from before I retired, along with correspondence, quotes, forms, and copies of expense account statements that dated back to 2011 and beyond. But, before I hit the delete button, for old time’s sake I guess, I scrolled through my travel and entertainment receipts from 2013. My forensics revealed that besides being a digital pack-rat, I am apparently very much a creature of habit. In 2013, I ate at Portobello’s Grill 32 times.
Portobello’s Grill is a cozy local Italian/Louisiana-style bistro tucked into the corner of Bocage Village Center at Old Hammond and Jefferson Highway, just east of Towne Center at Cedar Lodge. Way back in 2006, when I started working in Baton Rouge, I adopted it as my go-to Tuesday night spot. The vibe was low-key, and I could usually get a booth, so I wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb as a single diner. It was a nice place to chill and recoup a little from the day’s long drive, Baton Rouge traffic, and the usual hotel check-in hassles. The friendly wait staff always remembered my name (Hello, Mr. Dub!), and of course the food was great! My Tuesday night standard was a Sensation Salad, chicken and sausage gumbo, focaccia, and a glass of J. Lohr “Seven Oaks” Cabernet. Sometimes I subbed a burger or pasta for my usual gumbo entrée, but I always ordered the Sensation Salad.
I remember my first Sensation Salad from Yvette Marie’s down Government Street in the Circa 1857 antiques market. Their version included spring greens, tomatoes, bleu cheese, and candied pecans, with a punchy “Sensation” dressing. Not long after that, when I saw it on the menu at the original Bistro Byronz, I asked my waitress what the name was all about.
Turns out, the Sensation Salad is a Baton Rouge culinary icon. Think of it as a regional version of the Caesar salad. Local restaurant legend has it that Jake Staples (Baton Rouge’s Caesar Cardini) originated the Sensation Salad at Bob & Jake’s on Government Street and, later, The Place on Florida Boulevard.
The zingy but straightforward salad made with iceberg lettuce and tossed with a dressing of shaken salad oil, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and Romano cheese was so popular it began showing up on restaurant menus all around town and was featured in the first edition of the Baton Rouge Junior League’s famous River Road Recipes 1 cookbook in 1959—pretty much the 60s equivalent of going viral!
These days, you can find Sensation Salads at most Baton Rouge–area restaurants. Each place has its own take on the original; some chefs do a spring mix or romaine; others add feta or blue cheese and black olives.
My favorites include the salads from Portobello's, Drusilla Seafood, Ruffino’s, Louis DeAngelo’s, and Roberto’s River Road. Hanley’s Foods offers a bottled Sensation dressing that’s available in groceries all over south Louisiana and online. Or, even better, just make it at home with Jake’s original recipe from the River Road Recipes 1 cookbook or try this easy version:
Sensation Dressing
1 clove finely minced or grated garlic
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon rice or red wine vinegar
¼ cup fresh-grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
*Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Dresses 4 side salads. Adjust quantities as needed to accommodate a larger guest list.
Method
Place the garlic, lemon juice, and vinegar in a salad cruet or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add the salt, pepper, and grated cheese. Pour in the vegetable and olive oils and close the lid tightly. Shake the container until all the ingredients are incorporated. Chill the salad dressing until you are ready to toss your salad. This dressing will last for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
Crumbled feta or bleu cheese works well in this recipe, as does grated Parmesan or Romano. Just be sure the cheese is fresh. Bagged dairy case cheeses won’t emulsify. Try adding capers and black olives or candied pecans as a garnish.
For lettuce, Jake’s original salads were made with iceberg or a mix of iceberg and romaine, but these days, good, crisp iceberg is hard to find. Romaine will work, as will fresh spring mix (not bagged) if you prefer. Lately, my new favorite is green butterhead lettuce from Painted Angel Farms. Straight up or mixed with other greens, it makes a…yep, wait for it…Sensation-al salad!