Connecticut’s Lost Art – The Salad Bar

Do you ever just want a pile of croutons, olives and bacon bits? A pile of pepperoncini and small chunks of cheddar? I do, but there are fewer and fewer places where I can find my salad bar fix.

I love salad bars. I feel like Rembrandt, painting my masterpiece/plate with brushstrokes of green pea pods, fluffy Romaine, white cottage cheese, and tan mushrooms.

My pain started when the New Milford Stop & Shop's salad bar disappeared a couple of years ago. My co-worker Maureen and I were devastated. NM Stop & Shop's salad bar wasn't the BEST, but it was close to work, and offered items a la carte. I find most pre-made salads in the area restaurants are ok, but there are just days where I don't want to pick disgusting radishes out of my iceberg mix.

A friend went to Chuck's Steakhouse in Danbury over the weekend, and told me that their salad bar kicked ass. It started me thinking about this very subject, who around here still rocks a great salad bar?

A few places popped into my head right away, but they are supermarkets and fast-casual restaurants.

Stew Leonard's has a really good salad bar, as do some area Stop & Shops, Whole Foods, and some other local grocers.

Panera, CHOPT, and other fast-casual restaurants make nice pre-made salads. Jeez, even McDonald's has entered the salad frey.

On a recent trip to Orlando, my wife and I discovered Sweet Tomatoes, which, unfortunately, doesn't have a location anywhere near the Northeast.

Buffet restaurants in the area offer basic salad bars, with 10-15 items. I'm usually disappointed.

So, besides supermarkets, buffet places, and fast-casual restaurants, there really are only a few places that offer the true 'classic' multi-item salad bar that I yearn for.

1. Chuck's Steak House - Danbury. You want a plate of croutons and sunflower seeds covered in bacon bits? You can still do it at Chuck's.

2. American Steakhouse - Bridgeport, Meriden, and Norwalk. I miss the Wolcott Road Waterbury location. I spent many days grazing at their wonderful salad bar.

3. Ruby Tuesday - Ruby Tuesday has an excellent salad bar, and despite a few closings recently, they are chopping broccoli in Bristol, Meriden, Farmington, North Haven, and Shelton.

And my wild card? 4. Good Nature Market in New Haven. Located in the Shops at Yale just a few steps from where my beloved Cutler's used to be. I was shocked to find the world-class salad bar/prepared foods selection that they offer. Top notch.

Where are your favorite salad bars? Please tell me, I want to explore and find as many as I can.