Caesar salad is doing what tiramisu did a few years ago: Appearing on every menu. Like tiramisu before it, these concoctions range from the sacrilegious to the sublime. Being a fan of this California creation, I' eaten my share of the good and bad in Tokyo. Most are uninspiring; limp lettuce with packaged croutons and a bottled approximation of Caesar dressing. To save you the research, I've weeded out the best ones among those I've tried thus far. This is in no way intended as an exhaustive list; no 500 word column could be. But at least you know you won't find any bottled Kewpie or, even worse, French dressing on any of these Caesars. Aeve Baldwin

Fujimamas: Mama's Thai-style Caesar with Crispy Calamari Croutons. This one makes the list for sheer audacity. Okay, so they don't use Romaine but the lemongrass dressing is refreshing and original, and the Indian curry-spiced calamari croutons - at first striking a discordant note with the Thai-influenced dressing - soon grow on you. Big enough for two to share, and only JY800.

Open 11am-11pm daily. 6-3-2 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku (03-5485-2262). Nearest stns: Harajuku, Omotesando.


Rellenos: Lemony Caesar Salad. My favorite restaurant in Tokyo makes one of my favorite Caesars by combining the tangy fresh taste of lemon dressing with the crunch of deep-fried corn tortilla strips in place of cruotons. Chef Kenji Sugawara continues to do no wrong.

Open 6-11pm Tue-Sat, 6-10pm Sun. Closed Mon. 4-22-7 Nishi-Azabu, Taiyo Bldg B1, Minato-ku (03-3400-7251). Nearest stn: Shibuya.


Tim's NY: Caesar Salad. Popular enough to always be found on the otherwise ever-changing menu. The addition of avocado and radicchio alongside the traditional garlicky croutons lend a yummy modern twist.

Open 11:30am-2pm and 6-11:30pm Mon-Sat. 1-10-11 Ebisu Minami, Shibuya-ku (03-3793-5656). Nearest stn: Ebisu.


Xp: Caesar Salad. Mixed greens lively up this straightforward Caesar. What makes it special is the presentation: it's served in a clear glass bowl set in a mound of ice on your candlelit table.

Open 11am-2pm Tue-Fri, 6pm-1am Mon-Thu (last order 11pm) and 6pm-4am Fri-Sat (last order midnight). Closed Sun. 1-11-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Moroto Bldg B1 (03-5464-7864). Nearest stn: Shibuya.


Zest Cantina, Harajuku Annex: Caesar Salad. This is the closest to a real Caesar I've yet to find in Tokyo. By "real" I mean Romaine lettuce; Parmesan, either shaved or, as they do at Zest, grated at your table; croutons and (bonus points!) anchovy-laced dressing. This one has it all. So yummy we et two.
Open 5pm-5am daily. 5-8-7 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku (03-3499-0293). Nearest stns: Harajuku, Omotesando.