As a newcomer to our fair state I’ve been told we suffer through the winters so we can enjoy the beautiful weather the rest of the year.
The sense of the earth coming alive again and beginning the cycle of growth and renewal speaks to all of us this time of year as we start becoming more active and enjoying time outside once again.
As part of the celebration of the warmer weather’s arrival, we here at Olga’s have gotten into the spirit of things and are presenting three new salads we feel embody the spirit of spring.  All three feature lighter and healthier ingredients and some interesting presentations that we hope you will enjoy as you make your own transition into spring.  We’ve made these salads ‘perfectly portioned for spring’ which means you’re going to be full and satisfied when you’re finished but not uncomfortably so!  We also were very careful of the calorie counts on these items for those of us (me included) who are mindful of how many calories we’re consuming on a daily basis.
Our first salad is Pan-Asian.  We start with blend of baby greens and crisp romaine and add fresh red bell peppers, asparagus and grape tomatoes.  We sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and our new Olga’s won tons which are baked every day in our restaurants from our own Olga bread dough. What makes this salad truly exceptional is the dressing, served on the side, which features hints of sesame oil, ginger and a whisper of soy sauce.  All of this for around 300 calories!
We’re really excited about the Spring orchard salad, which features fresh strawberries, mixed greens and romaine, toasted sunflower seed kernels, feta cheese and our new Zesty Olga croutons.  Our dressing (which is served on the side as well) is an apple vinaigrette.  This dressing is made with no corn syrup and has an amazing aroma and flavor of fresh apples, and is well balanced between the natural sweetness and tartness you’d expect from an apple vinaigrette.  It pairs *marvelously* with the sweetness of the strawberries, the tangy feta and the zesty crunch of the croutons. Not bad for a salad that tips in just under 400 calories!
Bringing new flavors and combinations to our faithful guests is one of the greatest pleasures of being a chef.  I’m thrilled to present our Mediterranean Sampler platter, which features our Olga salad, red pepper hummus, house-pickled cucumbers and red onions, Kalamata olives, grape tomatoes and pepperoncinis, all served with our delicious freshly cooked Snackers.  There are a lot of flavors going on here and a *lot* of different ways to dig into it.  The sampler also makes a great appetizer to share with your friends or family.
All of these salads are vegetarian as presented.  For those of us looking for some protein we are offering grilled chicken or crispy shrimp which can be added to the salads for only $0.99.
I’m absolutely chuffed about the arrival of spring, my first here in Michigan.  I hope you enjoy the new salads and as always invite you to drop me a line and let me know your thoughts!

Yours in the bread,

Chef Quinn