Beet Salad: Tangy goat cheese from Lake Erie Creamery gets spread on a bowl as a base for this Amp 150 beet salad ($9). The creamy cheese complements the salad's acidic yuzu fruit vinaigrette and beets, which are seasoned with oil, salt and pepper. "We roast the beets at 350 degrees for 45 minutes," says sous chef James Kirkland. "Then we steam them and the skin comes right off." 4277 W. 150th St., Cleveland, 216-706-8787,amp150.com
Caesar Salad: Greenhouse Tavern proves its culinary game is on fire with its smoky twist on the Caesar salad ($12). Flash-grilled romaine lettuce, which is charred and crispy, comes with a house-made Caesar dressing of Parmesan, red onion, capers, shallots and croutons that omits anchovies. "You get different textures from having both cooked and raw products" says chef Vinnie Cimino. 2038 E. Fourth St., Cleveland, 216-443-0511,thegreenhousetavern.com
Cobb Salad: It's got all the makings of a traditional cobb salad: romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, hardboiled egg, bacon and a buttermilk dressing. But what sets Pura Vida's house smoked turkey cobb salad ($15) apart is the two-day process to brine and slow-roast the turkey. "We treat the turkey with respect," says co-chef and owner Brandt Evans. "It's all about having both quality and design." 170 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216-987-0100, puravidabybrandt.com
Noodle Salad: Although the Vietnamese noodle salad ($14.50) at Bac Asian American Bistro and Bar is one of the most traditional dishes on the menu, chef Bac Nguyen's preparation of the optional chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, tofu or chopped spring rolls is not. "My mom, grandma and myself have always marinated the protein and seared it in a wok with lemongrass and garlic," he says. 2661 W. 14th St., Cleveland, 216-938-8960,bactremont.com
Wedge Salad: Get a well-balanced meal when you order Houlihan's steak and wedge salad ($15.95). A 5-ounce steak comes with a wedge of iceberg lettuce, house-made fried Jack cheese polenta, sweet beets, spicy pecans and a house-made chunky blue cheese dressing for an all-in-one meal. "The wedge salad goes better with steak because it's a heartier salad," says Tom Haymond, executive chef of Houlihan's Westlake location. "The flavors of the beets and pecans also balance very well." 25651 Detroit Road, Westlake, 440-808-9090; 2 Southpark Center, Strongsville, 440-572-9090, houlihans.com
