By Katia Lopez-Hodoyan
It was never a secret, but rather a story that did not really get around all that much. It was brushed off as hearsay, rumors, and even straight out lies. But the story is indeed true and recently it has been gaining validity in restaurants all over the globe: The world famous Caesar Salad was “born” in the city of Tijuana, more specifically, in the kitchen of Caesar’s Restaurant on Revolucion Avenue.
It’s a recipe that dates back to 1924 and almost a century later, its taste has surpassed the test of time. The history of the restaurant may linger in its antique cash register, checkered floors and long wooden bar, but without a doubt the soul is in the menu.
“Our city is very young, so it doesn’t have a lot of history, says Javier Plascencia, head chef of the family run restaurant business. “This is something that gives locals a lot of pride. It’s something positive we’re putting out on an international level.”
There are different versions about how the famous salad came about, but the most popular one is this one: On a busy Fourth of July weekend, Italian immigrant and restaurant owner Caesar Cardini, was running low on ingredients. When a group of guests asked for a dish, he improvised with the leftovers he had laying around, which included romaine lettuce, eggs, olive oil, garlic, croutons, parmesan cheese and Worcestershire sauce. The salad was prepared table side, and just like that, a tradition was born. Other accounts argue it was one of Cardini’s cooks, Livio Santini, who started the salad.
“The problem is, everyone who was involved in the process back then, is now dead,” says Julian Plascencia, the restaurant’s current administrator. “There’s no real way of proving who invented the salad. What we can prove is that it all started in this Tijuana restaurant.”
To understand the origins of the salad, one must first understand the time period. Back in the 1920’s alcohol was banned across the United States, which involuntarily turned Tijuana into a hot spot for American visitors. They craved a good time with good alcohol, and Tijuana delivered with casinos, gambling, alcohol, and just the right ingredients to stir up a good party.
Cardini lived in San Diego, but worked across the border to bypass prohibition laws. Business was booming and the popularity of the salad boomed along with it. It became a popular destination for Californians and for big name Hollywood stars like Jean Harlow and Clark Gable. Even famous cookbook author Julia Child wrote about the excitement of going to Tijuana to try the famous Caesar Salad.
Eventually, the good times came to an end. The alcohol ban was lifted stateside. Ownership of the restaurant was passed on from one patron to the next. The restaurant closed and re-opened, but for the most part, the building was practically abandoned. With no life or activity, the Caesar’s building became a dusty symbol of what was once a shiny golden era for Tijuana.
Decades later, Tijuana was hit hard by drug related violence, eliminating any substantial tourism revenue from the city’s downtown. The big Caesar building stood tall, but it was all about the past, having little to offer for the future.
The Plascencia family took notice back in 2010. If there’s something the family knows how to do well, it’s run restaurants. But this wasn’t just another business venture. There was a lot of nostalgia involved in the decision to take on the old restaurant, renew it and bring out its original luster.
“We were having dinner as a family, when we started talking about renovating the restaurant,” remembers Julian Plascencia. “Being in the food businesses is something that’s just part of us.”
The family saw it as a way to honor the city where they opened Giuseppi’s, their first restaurant. Today, the family runs over a dozen restaurants in Tijuana and San Diego.
“My grandfather used to work at Caesar’s” says Javier Plascencia. “My uncle was a bartender and my dad made a career from the restaurant business. We wanted to renew the building and give life to Tijuana’s downtown area. Now we have people from all over the world who visit the restaurant to try the famous Caesar Salad. It’s become part of a gastronomical attraction. It’s showing the positive side of Tijuana.”
On average the restaurant serves 2,000 Caesar Salads a week. With a staff of about 40 people, the team is always on the go. Waiters don’t just take orders. They must also know the history of the salad and how to prepare it, in real time, right in front of the guests. It’s meant to be more than just a salad, but an experience into Tijuana’s golden era. With all the memorabilia surrounding the tables, it’s easy to feel like one is traveling back in time.
“When we knocked down doors and walls, we found lots of items,” says Javier Plascencia. “Old perfumes from the 1930’s and 1940’s and also alcohol bottles. There were also some photographs, but once the restaurant was opened, locals started bringing their own historic pictures for us to hang on the walls.”
The restaurant helped trigger renovation along Tijuana’s Avenida Revolucion, the heart of the city which seemed to be on life support for some time, but is now beating strong.
“Tijuana has never given up on us,” says Javier Plascencia. “So we couldn’t give up on the city. We even give out the recipe to guests, so they can make the salad as authentically as possible in their homes. For us, it’s an honor.”