How do you make a spinach salad stand out? The Nantucket Bleu Spinach Salad ($6.50) at Redwood Grill (4611 Montrose, 713-523-4611) does it with an unusual vinaigrette. Into a traditional olive oil and vinegar base is added tangy Roquefort cheese, pecans for extra crunch and lots of blueberries. The blueberries add a touch of sweetness, counteracting the vinegar. And because some of the berries have been pureed, they also add a rich, almost purple color and act as a thickening agent that makes the dressing more like a sauce. The baby spinach leaves are perfectly tossed in the vinaigrette so that every surface is covered, and this simple salad becomes something scrumptious.
This article appears in Jan 2-8, 2003.