There is a version of the Caesar salad that exists in the comfortable, predictable corner of every menu in America. Then there is the Grilled Caesar Salad at Corazón by Baires.
At this Latin American fine dining destination on International Drive, Orlando, the classic gets completely dismantled and rebuilt from the ground up — with a charred romaine base, crispy fried prosciutto, house-made focaccia croutons, and a depth of flavor that most salads only dream about.
If you thought you already knew what a Caesar salad was, this dish is about to change your mind.
The Caesar salad has a long, storied history — but fine dining restaurants rarely treat it as an opportunity for genuine innovation. At Corazón by Baires, the kitchen team approaches every dish as a conversation between Latin American culinary tradition and contemporary global technique. The Grilled Caesar is the clearest expression of that philosophy on the current menu.
It starts with the romaine itself. Rather than arriving cold and undressed, the romaine hearts are placed directly over the grill, picking up a subtle, smoky char that transforms the entire character of the dish. The slight bitterness of the leaf is mellowed by heat, the outer edges develop a delicate crispness, and what arrives at the table carries an aroma and warmth that a raw salad simply cannot replicate.
From there, the build continues with Parmigiano, shaved or grated to dissolve slightly against the warm surface of the lettuce. White beans add a hearty, creamy contrast that grounds the dish with substance, pulling the salad firmly into fine dining territory. And the croutons? These are not the shelf-stable squares of a chain restaurant. Corazón uses house-made focaccia croutons: baked in-house, golden, chewy at the center, and crunchy at the edge, a detail that signals the kitchen's broader commitment to craft over convenience.
Perhaps the single most conversation-starting element of this grilled Caesar salad is what replaces bacon. The traditional Caesar has no bacon at all, but many modern iterations have added it as an easy shortcut to salty, fatty richness. At Corazón by Baires, that shortcut is rejected entirely in favor of fried crispy prosciutto.
The difference is significant. Prosciutto, when fried to a crisp, delivers a more refined, papery, intensely savory crunch than bacon can offer. It shatters on the tongue rather than chewing through fat, releasing a concentrated, nutty salinity that layers with the Caesar dressing rather than overpowering it. It is a small swap with enormous implications — and it is entirely consistent with the Latin-European sensibility that defines the Corazón by Baires kitchen.
The Grilled Caesar Salad occupies the kind of menu position that works in multiple contexts. For a guest building a full tasting-style dinner — perhaps anchoring the meal around the Tomahawk or the signature Fettuccini la Routa — it functions as an ideal mid-weight course: substantial enough to satisfy, light enough not to crowd what follows.
For guests visiting the Kali Dining Room during happy hour, it also translates beautifully as a shareable plate. The Kali Dining Room at Corazón by Baires is a distinct experience within the restaurant — a chic, ambient space designed for a more social, lounge-forward dining rhythm.
Ordering the Grilled Caesar alongside other shareable plates during happy hour at Corazón by Baires captures exactly the energy the space is designed to deliver: upscale, relaxed, and social without sacrificing any of the fine dining quality.
The grilled Caesar salad at Corazón by Baires is the rare version of a familiar dish that actually justifies its place on a fine dining menu. From the charred romaine to the crispy prosciutto finish, every element has been chosen with intention — and the result is a course that surprises without confusing, satisfies without overwhelming, and leaves guests thinking about it long after the plate is cleared.
Located at 8126 International Drive in Orlando, Corazón by Baires is ready to change how you think about one of the most iconic salads in culinary history. Reserve your table and see what a grilled Caesar salad can actually be.
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