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Columbia Restaurant's 1905 Salad Gains Celebrity Status

Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO

Columbia patron Joan Clow, of Clearwater, enjoys Columbia's Original "1905" Salad. The Columbia made the list that was published in Friday's issue of USA Today.

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 15, 2008

Updated: 05/15/2008 03:34 pm

TAMPA - Entrees such as Paella a la Valencia and Snapper Alicante grace the Columbia Restaurant's menu, but the most recent accolade is for the ensalada.

The trademarked 1905 Salad, that is.

Wiley Mullins, author of "Salad Makes the Meal: 150 Simple and Inspired Salad Recipes Everyone Will Love," recently compiled a list of 10 restaurants across the country where the salad's the meal. The list was published in Friday's issue of USA Today.

The Columbia in Ybor City made the list.

Here's what Mullins had to say about the 1905 Salad at Tampa's oldest eatery:

"The 1905 Salad is famous throughout Florida, and salad lovers travel near and far to enjoy it. No wonder it's trademarked!" she wrote. "Tossed and created at your table, this masterpiece of a meal includes the juiciest beefsteak tomatoes you've ever tasted, lettuce, tender-baked ham, Romano and Swiss cheeses, olives and a deliciously smooth garlic dressing."

The menu calls the 1905 Salad legendary, and co-owner Casey Gonzmart agrees.

He said his family learned about the accolade from a friend who got a USA Today delivered to his hotel room in Colorado on Friday morning.

"It was a nice surprise," Gonzmart said. "We're very flattered."

He said the salad is a staple among meals offered at the restaurant, which has been open since 1905. He's not sure when the salad was added to the menu.

It could have been a variation served back then, he said. "I don't go back that far myself," he said.

"We've fined-tuned it," he said.

It's a huge seller, particularly at lunch, he said.

It is served by itself, either as a meal or a side dish, or with a bowl of soup or a Cuban sandwich.

He said the salad dressing is the only item in which Worcestershire sauce is used and that the restaurant is the largest independent restaurant buyer of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce in the nation.

The garlic-heavy dressing accounts for much of the 500 pounds of garlic the restaurant uses each week.

Angie Geml, manager of the Columbia's marketing department, said the salad sells for $8.95 and has earned kudos from other food writers and cooking personalities.

How it is served adds to the treat, she said.

"We have a lot of items that we prepare tableside," she said. "That's one of them. We bring the salad out in big bowl, toss it at the table and mix the dressing right there."

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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