Cobb Salads

Cobb salad is a native. This rich, meal-in-a-bowl chopped salad was invented in 1936 at the glamorous Brown Derby in Hollywood. The Derby may be gone but the salad remains:

* Green Street Restaurant: The Cobb is a well-proportioned classic with chunks of chicken, bacon, avocado, blue cheese, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs tossed with romaine lettuce and a lemony olive oil dressing. Or try the Cobb sandwich, with the ingredients in a grilled roll. (Cobb salad, $8.95; sandwich, $7.50.) Green Street Restaurant, 146 Shoppers Lane, Pasadena, (626) 577-7170.

* Spago Beverly Hills: Available at lunch, this most luxurious of all Cobbs looks much like any other, except for the broad, pink stripe of lobster on top. (Lobster Cobb salad, $21.50.) Spago Beverly Hills, 176 N. Canon Drive, (310) 385-0880.

* Jake & Annie’s: This American cafe serves the traditional Cobb, although the kitchen uses turkey in the place of chicken and dresses it with a mustard-spiked vinaigrette. (Cobb salad, $9.95.) Jake & Annie’s, 2700 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 452-1734.

* Fred 62: Fred Eric’s Thai Cobb salad is a playful riff--a square patch of spinach with colorful stripes of chicken, bacon, tomato, green papaya, egg, scallions, cilantro and fried won tons dressed with a Thai dressing. Eat it at Vida too. (Thai Cobb salad, $7.62; at Vida, $9.) Fred 62, 1850 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 667-0062. Vida, 1930 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz, (323) 660-4446.

* Stanley’s: This traditional Cobb puts chicken, eggs, bacon and the works on chopped lettuce with a balsamic dressing. (Cobb salad, $9.95; half order, $6.95.) Stanley’s, 13817 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. (818) 986-4623.

* The Shark Bar: The “Country Cobb Salad” at this stylish soul food supper club has grilled marinated chicken breast, cucumbers, hard-boiled eggs and avocados in a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. (Cobb salad, $9.95.) The Shark Bar Restaurant, 826 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 652-1520.

* Dive!: If you ever wanted to eat a Cobb salad in a submarine, this theme restaurant from Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg is about as close as you can get. The “All-American Cobb” is romaine and iceberg lettuce with grilled chicken, bacon, tomatoes, egg, avocado, blue cheese, black olives and a red wine vinaigrette. (Cobb salad, $9.95.) Dive!, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Century City, (310) 788-3483.

* Monty’s Steakhouse: Two choices here: traditional with turkey or the Beverly Hills with sliced grilled chicken breast. (Cobb salads, $10.95.) Monty’s Steakhouse, 592 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, (626) 792-7776; 1100 Glendon Ave., Westwood, (310) 208-8787; 5371 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills, (818) 716-9736.