Mouthful - Lively Salads

Chopped salad at Maggiano’s Yes, Maggiano’s is a cheesy chain, but we flat out love this salad. While everyone else can gorge on chicken parmesan and whopping bowls of pasta, order a big plate of this deft, zesty blend of chopped iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese, scallions, avocado and prociutto-cum-bacon bits. It’s also a great to-go item in the middle of a hectic day.

3368 Peachtree Road, 404-816-9650; 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Road, 770-804-3313. www.maggianos.com.

Thai salads at Tamarind While Tamarind’s lovely Thai cuisine beckons any time of the year, summer is the time to make a meal exclusively of salads. Roasted duck beguiles with a Technicolor carnival of duck medallions, chunks of pineapple, julienned green apple and cashews. Nam sad - pork salad - has a bracing, lime-laced pungency that quickly becomes addictive. Word on the street is that Tamarind may close by year’s end, so indulge in these refreshing creations while you can.

80 14th St. 404-873-4888.

Fattoush at ByblosIt really doesn’t sound like much: common romaine with tomato and cucumber in a garlicky dressing, enlivened with crunchy bits of toasted pita. In the hands of Byblos’ capable kitchen, though, this salad is elevated to a study of subtle juxtapositions. It’s typically the first mezza (Middle Eastern small plate) to disappear.

10684 Alpharetta Highway, Roswell. 678-352-0321. www.byblos-atlanta.com.

Summer salads at Souper JennyWhen the weather turns warm, soup queen Jenny Levison reduces her potage output and lays out a gorgeous spread of salads. Selections change daily, but may include the likes of roasted asparagus with apricot, chicken salad with green grapes, cashews and fresh basil; fresh fruit salad; and cucumber and sugar snap peas dressed in an orange, mint and toasted almond pesto. No worries - she’s still got soup for the diehards.

56 E. Andrews Drive. 404-239-9023.??