Ah, yes, the iconic Sensation Salad.
“Invented” in Baton Rouge, the dish is said to have originated in the 1950s at Bob & Jake’s, an upscale steakhouse owned by brother duo Bob and Jake Staples. The restaurant closed in the 1970s, but the Sensation Salad continued to be served at Jake Staple’s solo restaurant, The Place, until its closure .
Despite the dressing’s short list of ingredients — lemon, garlic, olive oil, Romano and Parmesan, vinegar — the salad bears much splendor for palates all over. It’s still on menus across the city.
Sensation Salad from Jubans
STAFF PHOTO BY JOHN BALLANCE
So, what Baton Rouge restaurant makes the best Sensation Salad?
Our staff tried eight salads to see which we liked best: Jubans, Phil’s Oyster Bar, Rocca, Solou, Maxwell’s Market, Brew-Bacher’s Grill, Drusilla Seafood and Cecelia Creole Bistro.
The rules were simple:
Six people picked up Sensation Salads from local restaurants.
The businesses did not know we were completing a Sensation Salad test.
The tasting was blind. Tasters didn’t know which salads came from which restaurants.
Each person judged on freshness, balance of flavors, texture and overall appeal on a scale of 1-20, 20 being the highest.
Tasters sampled the salads in different orders to prevent a single salad from being the first tasted.
If we missed your favorite, let us know what else we should try. Email madison.scott@theadvocate.com with suggestions.
Sensation Salad from Phil’s Oyster Bar
STAFF PHOTO BY JOHN BALLANCE
The salads
Our team has conducted many similar taste tests, from the city’s best gumbo to chocolate chip cookies. This tasting was particularly unique because of how different everyone’s ratings were.
There was not a clear favorite — one person’s top salad was another’s least favorite. One taster gave extra points for olives, and another did not — the same with slivered almonds.
Others believed iceberg lettuce tasted the best. Others preferred romaine. One person liked croutons and another didn’t think that was a “real Sensation Salad.”
In short, while there are qualities most people can agree on when it comes to gumbo or cookies, salad preferences are a different game.
While many tasters loved Jubans’ cheese crisp, its Kalamata olives were divisive among judges. Staff writer Joy Holden enjoyed the sweet notes from the dressing.
The almond slivers in Phil’s Oyster Bar’s Sensation Salad also showed differences in preferences between judges. Writer Judy Bergeron liked the salad’s balanced flavor but believes Sensation Salads don’t need almonds.
Sensation Salad from Solou
STAFF PHOTO BY JOHN BALLANCE
The salad from Solou also had almonds. Some found the iceberg blend fresh; others wished for more flavor from the dressing.
Many judges noted the increased amount of black pepper in Drusilla Seafood’s Sensation Salad; some found the pepper overpowering, others enjoyed the smoky punch.
Judges loved the seasoned croutons in Cecelia Creole Bistro’s Sensation Salad, but wished the dressing had more flavor. Others thought it was just right and loved the thinly sliced purple onions.
The top three favorites
Sensation Salad from Maxwell’s Market
STAFF PHOTO BY JOHN BALLANCE
In third place was Maxwell’s Market, scoring high in freshness with an arugula and mixed greens blend with red onions and pepperoncini. The difference in scores between it and the second place salad was only half a point.
Sensation Salad from Rocca Pizzeria
STAFF PHOTO BY JOHN BALLANCE
In second place was Rocca Pizzeria. The strong, tangy dressing and volume of cheese seemed to win over judges across the board.
Sensation Salad from Brew-Bacher’s Grill
STAFF PHOTO BY JOHN BALLANCE
In first place was Brew-Bacher’s Grill, an iceberg and romaine blend with cucumbers, grape tomatoes and green onion. The addition of cucumbers and tomatoes added a boost of freshness that won the palates of judges, and writer Lauren Cheramie noted that the Parmesan was the perfect amount.
The bottom line is that, when it comes to Sensation Salads, personal preference reigns supreme. When the salad started about 70 years ago, there may have been one way to do it, but these days restaurants across the Capital City area put their own spin on it.
Dining and Cooking