Crafting a salad that hasn’t popped up on restaurant menus ad nauseam (hey there, Caesar and Waldorf) is a daunting task. But Unite Urban Grill in West Town has achieved novelty with the presentation of its watermelon salad ($9), a melt-in-your mouth dish that lingers on your palate long after the starter plates have been cleared.
The colorful salad balances savory and sweet with a flavor fusion of red onion, arugula, micro sprouts, thickly sliced heirloom tomatoes, crumbled feta, fresh mint leaves, extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic over a juicy, bright pink slice of seedless watermelon cut as thick as a steak.
That presentation is partially inspired by Unite’s traditional steakhouse options, says co-owner Megan Dunne Krouse. Rib-eye, hanger, New York strip — the gang’s all here — but even if you go with meat for your main course, this succulent slab of salad just might become your new favorite steak. 1450 W. Chicago Ave., 312-455-8900, www.uniteurbangrill.com.
Leah Pickett is a freelance writer.
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