The creative category was much harder to judge, though there were favorites that emerged quickly. A Caesar Martini by La Griglia, which was served in a mini martini glass complete with an olive and a small boquerones (anchovy), scored high on creativity and presentation, but lost points on taste due to the overpowering flavor of the boquerones.

A 48-hour pulled short rib slider on toasted pretzel bun with a Caesar salad slaw was probably the most delicious offering of the night for me, but was more pulled short rib than Caesar salad, losing points for creativity. The crowd didn't seem to mind this small technicality, awarding the Hilton Americas the People's Choice prize for their tasty mini buns.

I really enjoyed a Peruvian Caesar salad by Chef Masaru of Latin Bites, a single bite of endive with crispy-somethings and a Peruvian pepper-based dressing, but the ingredients used were so extensive that it didn't make as strong an impression as the more easily understood offerings. Much simpler to contemplate was the roast duck and Caesar salad roll by the new Westin Downtown, a play on the Peking duck, which was also very tasty but more a duck dish than Caesar salad.

In the end, by score and general consensus, the judges gave the beautifully presented basket of tandoori Cornish game hen with vindaloo-spiced cashews and croutons, black garlic, and caramelized pearl onions tossed with romaine in a classic Caesar dressing high marks in presentation, taste, and creativity.

The winner for the most creative Caesar was Kiran Verma of Kiran's, for her Indian-inspired dish, which will soon debut on the restaurant's menu.

All hail Caesar!