By Jim Ayres 

If you work from home (as I do), you may only have a fleeting knowledge that the height of summer is upon us. It’s hot and humid out there, so it’s time to dive into crisp, refreshing salads. Here are four of my favorite salads in the Houston area. 

Italian Family Salad at Paulie’s, 1834 Westheimer. Paulie’s has some delicious house made pastas and nightly dinner specials. But when I go, I crave this giant salad. 

In addition to romaine lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and celery, generous bites of salami and mozzarella give the salad its meaty kick. It’s all topped with Parmesan and an amazing black olive vinaigrette. For a final touch, slice open a pepperoncino and squirt it all over the salad before digging in. 

Salmon & Avocado Cobb Salad at Moxie’s, 5000 Westheimer. When I finish one of my HomeGoods treasure hunts, Moxie’s Salmon & Avocado Cobb Salad is the perfect repast. It’s delicious art, with an indulgent Scottish salmon filet, edges perfectly crisp, atop an iceberg disk. Bacon, a seriously cute little boiled egg, and feta cheese gild this lily, while a new peppercorn ranch and sundried tomato dressing adds welcome sweet and spicy notes. 

Sausalito Chicken Crunch Salad at Barnaby’s, 604 Fairview and other locations. I’m so glad this is now a permanent fixture on Barnaby’s excellent salad menu. Imagine a mountain of lettuce, cabbage, roasted chicken, jicama, grape tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, queso fresco, peanuts and tortilla strips. Then mix it all together with a cumin-infused vinaigrette, and you have one of the most mouthwatering Southwest style salads in the city. 

Vegan Taco Salad at Local Foods, 2555 Kirby Drive and other locations. You’ve heard of the meatless “miracle” burger. The Beyond Meat plant-based brand is the rage in supermarkets. Now, Local Foods brings us this beautiful salad and it’s muy bueno. You’ll swear the vegan ground “beef” is the real thing, while avocado, red onion, kale and romaine, cilantro-flecked corn and a lime vinaigrette definitely are the real things. Of course, I take mine home and add sour cream. Who will know? 

There’s no room to get into the many wedge salads around town, but I assure you, those hunks of iceberg with blue cheese and bacon are all good, and I order one any time I see it on a menu. Salad days are here, indeed!