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You heard it here first: Melissa Ben-Ishay, the superstar chef behind Baked by Melissa, has a new cookbook out — and it’s not full of cupcake recipes. Come Hungry: Salads, Meals, and Sweets for People Who Live to Eat is chock full of recipes both sweet and savory that balance nourishment with indulgence. To celebrate, Ben-Ishay is sharing a recipe from the book for a must-make salad that will make you fall in love with greens again.

If you lived in or visited New York anytime from the ’90s to 2018, you may have heard of a diner called Coffee Shop. Its emblematic narrow neon sign beckoned everyone around Union Square, whether farmers’ market shoppers, late-night bar crawlers, or the ladies on Sex and the City, all coming to see and be seen. But I was never in it to see or be seen — I was in it for the salads, and this is one I still dream about.

This salad was so good that I left my 22nd birthday party early to pick up a few for me and my friends. The dishes were delicious, filled with crunchy bok choy and bell pepper, juicy chicken, and the most delectable creamy miso-ginger vinaigrette. Since the restaurant closed, this is my attempt to recreate the iconic salad I loved so much and relive some of my favorite memories. One bite of this salad will take you back to the diner’s glory days or make you wish you’d had a chance to visit.

Coffee Shop Sesame Chicken Salad with Creamy Miso Ginger Dressing Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Creamy Miso-Ginger Vinaigrette
3 garlic cloves
One 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled (about 2 teaspoons grated ginger)
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup avocado oil or other neutral oil
2 tablespoons white miso paste
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Juice of 2 lemons (about ⅓ cup)
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Salad
2 large bunches bok choy, chopped
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced then cut into 1-inch pieces
Simple Grilled Chicken (recipe follows)
Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
Store-bought wonton strips, to garnish

Instructions

Add the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, avocado oil, miso, rice vinegar, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt to a blender and process until smooth.

Combine the bok choy, spinach, and red pepper in a large bowl. Dice the grilled chicken and add it to the bowl. Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss gently until evenly coated.
Portion the salad out into bowls and garnish with sesame seeds and crunchy wonton strips.