Round Mound o' Executive Salad at Club Lago

Did the cookie exchange yesterday with AF O'Neil at one of our favorite places, Club Lago. We both thought we'd have a date with our pal Guido, but when we saw a couple of salads being served at a neighboring table, we revised our orders. I am forever indebeted to John M and Jeff B who introduced the world to the saline treasure that is the Club Lago Executive Salad (or more accurately put, introduced ME to the Club Lago Executive Salad). Still, while I love the salad, I usually find it too small for a lunch (and not worth its $).

Yesterday, when I saw the bigger salads at the other table, I asked our waitress, are all salads that big. She pointed to the section on the menu with the luncheon salads, the grilled calamari, the tuna, etc., and said they were all that big. I said yes, but what about the Executive. She did hem a bit, saying that it had to do with the pile-worthyness of the ingredients, essentially that the chopped onions or what not took up more room on the salads I was seeing. Undaunted, I said I wanted the Executve and make sure it was as big.

It was. The family and I have been watching SuperSize Me the last few days. This was super-sized, and surely enough calories to send Morgan Spurlock into cardiac arrest. But as they say, moderation. Do not eat an Executive Salad daily, but when you do...You eat. You eat blue cheese and bacon and anchovies and olives and dressing until the sodium chloride produces a near-giddy toxicity in your body. Plus, it is crunchy and squishy and soft and crisp too. 1000 layers of salt.

I cannot say for sure if the Club Lago has extended the size of their Executive Salad because they have heard the cry of chowhounds, or yesterday was a lucky abberation. I hope someone else can do some research as I think I need to let the bloating go down before my next order.

Rob

Club Lago
331 W. Superior St
Chicago, IL
(312) 951-2849

I am delighted to hear that Club Lago is still, well, Club Lago. About 15 years ago I had an office in the area and that was my favorite lunch spot, with the Green Door coming in at number two. With everything River North has become, it's good to know Club Lago carries on. Highly recommended for anyone who hasn't tried it.

In those days, they closed at 8:00 PM during the week. At least some things change for the better. Now it's 10:00 PM.

I love the atmosphere at Club Lago, and the salads that we had were great, but the red sauce there is one of the worst that I have had. It was funky looking as well.

Saps