BEST House Salad

I think salads are the perfect introduction to a meal: light, fresh, and flavorful, they prep the palate and the stomach for what's to come. I'm happy enough with iceberg lettuce, a couple of cucumbers, and the token tomato slice - but when my entree comes with a beautiful nest of fruit, leafy greens, creamy cheese, and homemade balsamic, I'm ecstatic. It's so good, it makes eating salad almost feel like an indulgence!

I've declared this the BEST because it's such a delightful surprise to see such attention and care given to what is often a universally humdrum starter. Also, it's delicious. Lilly's house salad is plated with a field of dark green lettuces and layered with dried fruit and candied pecans, sprinkled with goat cheese, and drizzled generously with a sweet balsamic vinaigrette. It's almost enough as a meal in itself (if you're a big salads-as-a-meal person) or it's a great way to start out your dinner!

Where you can enjoy this yourself:

Lilly's on the Canal
2 Canal Street
Lambertville, New Jersey
http://www.lillysgourmet.com/