1 Seared sushi-quality fish is not a bad start for tuna salad, and Canteen just keeps piling on quality ingredients, including braised artichokes, fresh asparagus, red and yellow tomatoes, roasted corn, shaved radishes, broccoli florets, and mesclun, not to mention tangy sherry vinaigrette. (142 Mercer Street; 212-431-7676.)
2 Few salad components are more luxuriously flavorful than white asparagus. In its mussels-and-shrimp salad, Maritime mixes them with greens, poached Prince Edward Island mussels, and tiger shrimp, then adds zest with passion-fruit vinaigrette. (1251 Sixth Avenue, at 49th Street; 212-354-1717.)
3 Bella Blu’s flavorful chopped salad features Cremini mushrooms, cauliflower, asparagus, greens, celery, carrots, red onion, and red and yellow peppers roasted in a wood-burning oven – it’s then tossed with fresh corn and beets. Crispy chickpeas are thrown in for crunch, and the vividly colored plate is topped off with lemon and olive oil. (967 Lexington Avenue, near 70th Street; 212-988-4624.)
4 For the purist, Sushi Samba’s Six Seaweed salad is a restrained yet perfectly graceful option. Take your time savoring the wakame and red ogo, dressed with a miso vinaigrette and served on cucumber over ice. (245 Park Avenue South, near 19th Street; 212-475-9377.)
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