The Classics - Part 1: Salad Lyonnaise

I love the classics: timeless movies (Casablanca, Philadelphia Story), forever-relevant fashion (the little black dress, the Birkin bag) and dishes that have stood the test of time (roast chicken, steak au poivre). While I continue to be inspired by chefs who test different techniques, pair unique flavor combinations and textures, I also appreciate those that can perfectly execute a classic dish (and maybe even put their own spin on it).

Salad Lardon at Les Halles

One my favorite dishes of this kind is the Salad Lyonnaise. It's a classic French dish that will never go out of style. It's like the trench coat of classic dishes: excellent for any season and something you can go back to time and again; it's great for brunch or a night out.

The ingredients are simple: frisee, lardon (thick-cut French bacon, though pancetta and bacon are often substituted), champagne or white wine vinegar, a poached egg and crouton. Some recipes will offer variations on the vinaigrette, adding dijon mustard, shallot or garlic.

The beauty of this dish is how all five ingredients work in concert. The saltiness of the lardon plays off the bitterness of the frisee and the tartness of the vinegar. The richness of the runny poached egg mixes with the champagne vinegar to create a vinaigrette that gently coats the frisee. The crunch of the crouton provides an added layer of texture. Perfect harmony.

When I see this dish on a menu, it's a must order. I've recently visited two restaurants that both served excellent Salad Lyonnaise. This is not surprising given both restaurants' classic approach to French cooking.

On a bright, steamy afternoon in New York City, I visited Anthony Bourdain's old stomping ground, Les Halles. In addition to immediately ordering a bottle of delicious, dry rose (a warm weather must), we ordered their Salad Lyonnaise (or Salade Lardon as they called it). Upon arrival, we dove in, my dining partners graciously allowing me to break into the runny egg - one of the great rituals of eating this dish. It was salty, rich, crunchy, tart, fresh - and not to mention quite satisfying.

Pork belly makes everything better. Especially this dish.

Another restaurant, Maude's Liquor Bar, turned the richness of this dish up even further by adding pork belly instead of lardon. The pork belly was undoubtedly the star of this dish, with its smoky flavor, crispy outside and meaty texture. Maude's also added a brioche crouton, which added another layer of rich, buttery saltiness.

Interestingly enough, I've attempted this dish many times in my own kitchen. It usually comes out ok, but more often than not, it just tastes better at a local bistro, surrounded by great friends, a cheese plate and a bottle of rose.