I love burgers. And tacos. And barbecue. And fine dining. But that doesn’t mean I don’t find time for a great salad. In fact, it is my love for those others that makes the love of salads mandatory. This post is part of a series called Salad Days, in which I try and find great salads around town. Know of one I should try? Drop me a line at modam@statesman.com.

Salmon and kale at Épicerie Cafe & Grocery ($15)

What you’re going to love about this salad: Chef Sarah McIntosh brings robust flavors of Louisiana to her light-filled cafe in Rosedale. You’ll find mussels in a sauce étouffée, fried shrimp and duck and grits. But the menu also features about a half-dozen salads, making it a popular lunchtime destination. This beautifully plated salad finds textural balance between shredded salmon seasoned with enough salt to give it some oomph, firm baubles of French lentils and smooth feathers of avocado. The cashew cream keeps the dish braced by kale from going dry, as do the fanned slices of apple.

Quibbles: I wish the apple was diced so the sweet juiciness could be better distributed throughout the salad, though I realize the thin, feathered sliced add to the bowl’s visual appeal. And one more teaspoon of that cashew cream wouldn’t hurt, either.

Épicerie Cafe & Grocery. 2307 Hancock Drive. 512-371-6840, epicerieaustin.com

MORE SALAD DAYS

Farro salad with grilled shrimp at Salt & Time