Render unto Caesar that which is leafy

Libby Applebaum, a studio finance executive, has long had a thing for Caesar salads and regularly orders them for lunch. But there is one type of Caesar salad she positively hates.

“I hate the big leaves,” says Applebaum, referring to whole romaine leaf Caesar salads. She isn’t alone. For many, the whole-leaf Caesar is a love-it or hate-it thing. And at the moment, the ayes have it. More and more restaurants are going that route. Consider a sampling: Luna Park, Campanile, Breeze, Le Dome, One Pico, Chateau Marmont, Blue on Blue, Gulfstream, Traxx, Hotel Bel-Air, Cezanne and Falcon.

What do people in the con camp have against whole-leaf Caesars? For one thing, you have to use a knife and fork. Others fume about having to do all the work: WLCs tend not to be tossed, so the dressing isn’t evenly distributed. And for some, it’s a simply an affront to muck around with a classic.

But whole-leaf Caesars have their defenders. Polly Diaz, a nonprofit special events director, says: “I definitely prefer the big leaves. I like the idea of being able to pick it up with your fingers and eat it. I’m pro-leaf.”

Eric Oberholtzer, executive chef at Shutters Hotel on the Beach, is no stranger to the controversy. When he introduced WLCs at the hotel’s casual restaurant Pedals, there were so many complaints that the chopped version is back on the menu. But Oberholtzer, himself a whole-leafer, has held fast in Shutter’s fine dining room One Pico. “One of the keys for Caesar salad is the crunchiness of the leaves,” he says. “So it really comes down to retaining the integrity of each leaf.”

We’re not sure if we can swallow that statement whole.

-- Leslee Komaiko

Small bites

* After an electrical fire in the kitchen Saturday (six days into business), Per Se, Thomas Keller’s New York restaurant, has closed temporarily, disappointing fans of his French Laundry restaurant in Napa who had snagged first-month reservations at the Time Warner Center showcase. “We’re assessing all the damage this week,” says managing consultant Laura Cunningham. “We’ll know more as the investigation continues.” As to when it will reopen, she offers, “I’d love to say two weeks. It just depends. The big issue is Thomas’ stove, a custom Bonnet stove. The fire department kind of let loose in the kitchen, which is great for everyone’s safety. But some of the Bonnet equipment can’t get wet. That’s the kind of damage we’re assessing -- what’s salvageable and what needs to be replaced.”

* Gustaf Anders, long considered one of Orange County’s best restaurants, will serve its last meal Sunday after 23 years of operation. “We just decided it was time,” says Gustaf Magnuson, who owns the restaurant with Anders Strandberg. “We’re returning to Sweden.” Magnuson’s 60th birthday, which he will celebrate that same day, is the other compelling reason.

Gustaf Anders, 3851 S. Bear St., Santa Ana, (714) 668-1737.

* Los Angeles restaurateur Silvio de Mori has sold his eponymous Beverly Hills restaurant De Mori. “I have a new project,” explains De Mori, who is staying on for now to assist in the transition. Several changes have been made in the decor and menu. “Instead of huge plates, we have smaller portions,” says manager Roberto Diviccaro. “And the prices went down. Also, before, it was an Italian kitchen with a California twist. Now, it’s very Mediterranean.”

De Mori, 421 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 274-1500.