A good Caesar salad seduces the palate with a heady combination of strong flavors and distinct textures -- a tang of lemon, a bite of garlic, creamy dressing, the crunch of lettuce and croutons.

The only thing that's hard to love about this classic mix is its price on restaurant menus. It can run as high as $7.95 for two in some upscale dining rooms. "I think that's a holdover from when it was a salad for two made table-side by the waiter," explains Mark Henry, executive chef at the Oregon Grille in Cockeysville. "By the time it was being made in the kitchen, the price had been established."

But you don't have to go to a restaurant to enjoy a Caesar salad. You easily can make an impressive version at home for a fraction of what you might pay when dining out.

There are dozens of variations of this popular salad. However, a few essential ingredients -- especially olive oil, garlic and romaine -- give a Caesar its definition.

You definitely need the rich flavor of a fruity extra-virgin olive oil for the dressing. But raw eggs, which had been used since Italian chef Caesar Cardini devised the flavorful salad in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico, are out of favor because of safety concerns.

Now, pasteurized egg yolks increasingly are being substituted, chefs say.

Stan Levy, head chef at Eddie's of Roland Park on Roland Avenue, understands that home cooks may want to avoid using eggs.

"You can't really just leave them out, or the dressing won't have body," he says. "You can [substitute] Dijon mustard and olive oil at room temperature, whisked to emulsify them."

For a creamier dressing, you also can use jarred mayonnaise.

If you've ever wondered why Caesar salad is often offered for two, it could be the garlic -- a key heady flavor. As we all know, a little goes a long way. "Some people tend to get carried away with the garlic, and it can be overpowering," says Henry. "It's a matter of personal taste."

Like garlic, anchovies also draw various responses. There seem to be three kinds of people: those who love anchovies, those who hate them and those who have no idea they're eating them. "You need them for the flavor," says Nino Germano, chef and co-owner of La Scala in Little Italy. "People who say they don't want them, it's all in their mind."

Since the fish add an important, briny note, he advises home chefs to incorporate them well into the dressing.

Grated cheese is another major component since it is blended into the dressing and the salad. While the nutty, granular character of imported Parmigiano-Reggiano makes the most authentic salad, many chefs opt for Pecorino Romano, a saltier, sharper counterpart. Whichever one you choose, be sure you buy a wedge of cheese and grate it yourself for the freshest taste.

Amedeo Pour, Germano's partner in La Scala, suggests making the dressing in advance. "Put it all together the day before, so all the flavors mix," he says.

Kept covered, the dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days. For those who don't have time to make their own dressing, Eddie's of Roland Park offers pre-made containers of its well-known dressing. "Ours is not the most traditionally made," Levy says. "It's fairly neutral, not overly sharp with garlic or lemon. We use an olive oil/vegetable oil blend, and some white vinegar."

Of course, romaine plays a starring role. When purchasing the lettuce, look for a crisp head with medium to dark green outer leaves.

Discard any overly dark, tough parts of the outside leaves and any wilted part of the tops. Remove large, hard ribs before tearing the leaves into bite-sized pieces. (Pre-packaged romaine hearts, which contain just the tender inner leaves, are a great timesaver.)

Croutons give Caesars that wonderful crunch. Chefs use a variety of breads and garlic-flavoring methods.

Eddie's cubes day-old challah, French loaves and baguettes, and sprinkles them with garlic powder and dried oregano. The Oregon Grille uses French bread cubes and tosses them with garlic and butter. La Scala brushes baguette slices with seasoned olive oil.

However, one Caesar salad tradition -- using wooden bowls -- has been phased out in many commercial kitchens. "The health department has more or less put a stop to using wooden bowls," Henry says. "Purists say never wash them, but they aren't making 20 or more salads."

Unwashed wooden bowls quickly can become rancid. Today, many chefs use stainless steel.

But chef Germano's Caesar requires no bowl at all. A few years ago while working in La Scala's tiny kitchen, he accidentally dropped a head of lettuce onto the gas grill. "I didn't want to waste it, so I made a salad for myself," he says. "The sweetness of the lettuce really came out."

After a week of experimentation, his grilled Caesar was born. Rather than tearing the romaine, Germano presents a small, whole head of grilled, dressed lettuce to be eaten with a knife and fork.

To duplicate this creation at home, Germano suggests making a mixture of olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and fresh herbs, such as basil and parsley. Then remove the dark outer leaves of the romaine and lightly brush the head with the seasoned oil. Grill the lettuce for about 15-20 seconds per side to impart a smoky flavor before serving with your favorite Caesar dressing, cheese and croutons. "I think it might taste even better over charcoal," he says.

Everyone's Favorite Caesar Salad

Serves 4

1 large head romaine lettuce, thick ribs removed and torn into bite-sized pieces, or one bag of romaine hearts

Creamy Caesar Dressing (recipe follows)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Garlic Croutons (recipe follows)

fresh ground pepper

Place half the lettuce in a very large salad bowl (chilled, if possible). Top with half of the dressing. Add the rest of the lettuce and half of the remaining dressing. Toss well. Dressing should lightly coat the leaves without being gloppy. If necessary, add the rest of the dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle in the Parmesan and croutons (reserve a few to top the salad) and mix. Finish with a few grinds of black pepper.

Creamy Caesar Dressing

1/2 of a 2-ounce tin of anchovies, drained (reserve rest to top salad, if desired)

2 medium cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife, then peeled and minced

1/3 cup prepared mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from one lemon

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan

fresh ground pepper

Cut the anchovy fillets into small pieces, then place in a medium bowl and mash the pieces into a paste with a fork. Add the garlic, mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice. Blend well. Whisk in olive oil in a thin stream, followed by the Worcestershire sauce. Stir in sugar to dissolve and add cheese. Stir in a few grinds of fresh black pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors. Dressing will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Garlic Croutons

4 slices good-quality crusty bread, cut or torn into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups), preferably day-old

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Garlic Valley Farms' garlic juice spray (available at Giant Food stores in the produce department)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread cubes on a baking sheet. If the bread is fresh, you can leave the cut cubes uncovered on the counter for an hour or so to dry them. Drizzle cubes with olive oil and toss to coat well. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and immediately lightly spritz croutons with garlic juice. (There will be a sizzle as the juice hits the hot baking sheet). Cool.