12 L.A. spots reinventing the classic chicken Caesar wrap
So you can imagine my surprise to see the Y2K-era sandwich having a sudden renaissance at popular restaurants around Los Angeles. But this time, it's back with some much-needed upgrades: Reputed L.A. chefs and sandwich shops are finally doing the dish justice by using high-quality ingredients and adding their own signature touches — from organic fried chicken to chunks of falafel instead of croutons.
While Angelenos' love affair with the Caesar salad has been ongoing since Italian chef Caesar Cardini debuted it in Tijuana in the 1920s, the inventor of the chicken Caesar wrap is a bit more mysterious. California Chicken Cafe opened in 1991 on Melrose Avenue and added a chicken Caesar wrap to its menu soon after in 1993. In 1997, fast food chain Wendy's added its take to the menu (they've since been discontinued), giving the wrap nationwide exposure.
At Ggiata, an East Coast-style deli with five locations across L.A., the chicken Caesar wrap is inspired by the ones that co-founders and childhood friends Noah Holton-Raphael, Max Bahramipour and Jack Biebel grew up eating in New Jersey sandwich shops.
'Every neighborhood sandwich shop had a Caesar wrap on the menu — and if they didn't then, they definitely do now,' said Holton-Raphael.
Since Ggiata launched its viral version in March 2024, the trend has picked up serious steam, inspiring iconic restaurants like Mini Kabob and Casa Vega to add the wrap to their menus.
No longer an afterthought, L.A.'s chicken Caesar wraps are made to order with ingredients like herb-blackened chicken, grain-free tortillas and house-made dressing that borrows inspiration from the salad's Mexican origins. Here are 12 excellent chicken Caesar wraps (including one made with a baguette) to try around L.A. right now.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
"Chopped" chef opens pasta stall in Charlotte's Optimist Hall
A new Italian food stall called ESO Artisanal Pasta will open at Optimist Hall Friday, Aug. 8. Why it matters: Charlotte native AJ Sankofa and his wife, Kristina Gambarian, are bringing their pandemic-born pasta business — and their national TV cooking cred — back to Sankofa's hometown. Context: The couple started ESO as a delivery business during the pandemic. Their handmade pasta and sauces got so popular that they were able to open a storefront in New Jersey in 2021. Sankofa, who grew up in Charlotte, has also appeared on Food Network's "Chopped" and "The Great Food Truck Race." In 2023, they closed their New Jersey storefront to open a fast-casual concept inside Optimist Hall. What they're saying:"Opening a spot where we could serve authentic Italian food has always been the dream," says Gambarian. What to expect: ESO will serve a concise menu of pasta dishes and sides, like fried risotto balls, Italian meatballs and Sicilian fried chicken. All of the cheeses, meats, flour, and even the salt used in their dishes are imported from Italy. The stall also has a Chef's Counter for reservation-only tasting menus. Those are expected to launch in the next six to eight months, says Gambarian. There's also a "fish bowl" window, where passersby and diners alike can watch the kitchen make pastas, desserts and shred huge blocks of cheese. Pastas come in two sizes: small ($9) and large ($15). We tried sample portions of ESO's menu at a media preview ahead of its Friday opening. Here are several of the dishes to expect. An assortment of Italian meats and cheeses The spread won't be on the regular menu, says Sankofa, but will be more of a "secret menu" option. We tried various meats and cheeses, including a 36-month-aged Parmigiano Reggiano, speck (a smoked Italian ham) and taralli, traditional Italian snack crackers. Paccheri Pomodoro The paccheri pasta sauce is called pomodoro classico. It's made with 12 onions, five pounds of tomato, fresh basil, garlic confit and finished with olive oil. Cacio e Pepe with 100 cracks of black pepper It's your classic Cacio e Pepe, made with pecorino, black pepper, pasta water and a little butter for creaminess. Gambarian says 100 cracks of black pepper is added to every batch. Lumache al ragù (Chef AJ's favorite) This hearty pasta dish is filled with various Italian meats, including beef shoulder, pork shoulder, prosciutto and pancetta. A non-alcoholic Aperol spritz Other drink choices include a range of Italian sodas and prosecco. Stop by: Optimist Hall is at 1115 N. Brevard St. Find ESO Artisanal Pasta in the old Collier Candy Co. spot, between Schreiber's on Rye and Zukku Sushi.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Is your student loan payment increasing? What to know about SAVE plan updates
Millions of student loan borrowers who were enrolled in a Biden-era repayment plan will soon see their monthly payments increase after the current administration restarted interest accrual Aug. 1. Nearly 8 million borrowers on the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan are now collecting interest on their loans for the first time since former President Joe Biden placed the group in forbearance in July 2024, pausing both monthly payments and interest accrual. "Borrowers in the SAVE Plan will see their loan balances grow when interest starts accruing on August 1," the Department of Education said in its July 9 announcement of the changes. "When the SAVE Plan forbearance ends, borrowers will be responsible for making monthly payments that include any accrued interest as well as their principal amounts." While SAVE plan borrowers will now be responsible for paying the interest on their loans, they remain in general forbearance for their minimum monthly payments. Yet payments on interest alone could cost the typical borrow hundreds of dollars per month, according to a recent analysis from the Student Borrower Protection Center, a debt-focused advocacy group. For many borrowers, this change means they will once again face loan-related monthly payments after more than a year of relief. More: What will student loans look like now that Trump's spending bill is signed? The Department said the move is part of an effort to comply with an injunction issued in April to implement a court order striking down SAVE, however, the rulings they cited do not specifically call the interest-free forbearance illegal. Here's what to know: What is the SAVE plan? That program, launched in 2023 by the Biden administration, was designed to provide more generous terms than prior income-based repayment plans, with monthly payments dropping to as low as $0 for some borrowers. It also provided debt forgiveness for some smaller loans in as few as 10 years, compared to the 20- or 25-year timeline under earlier rules. But the program was quickly challenged in court, caught up in a string of rulings over the administration's student debt relief plan. In 2024, two courts issued injunctions against the SAVE plan, effectively blocking it, leading the Biden administration to place SAVE plan borrowers into an interest-free forbearance as its legal fights continued. Like several other student loan programs, the SAVE plan has come under fire from President Donald Trump's Department of Education as it began to aggressively overhaul the federal student loan system and institute aggressive collection policies. The Department said it began direct outreach to the millions of SAVE plan borrowers in early July about the resumption of interest charges, including instructions on how to move to what it calls a "legal repayment plan." How much will payments increase? For the typical borrower on the plan, the resumption of interest charges could cost them about $300 per month, according to a July analysis from the debt-focused advocacy group Student Borrower Protection Center. That amounts to more than $3,500 in interest costs annually. The center said it estimates more than 40% of borrowers in the SAVE plan make less than 225% of the federal poverty line, which it calculated to be $35,213 per year for single borrowers and up to $72,338 for borrowers heading a household of four. Borrowers can check how the resumption of interest on their loans will impact their payments by going to the loan simulator on the Federal Student Aid website. What is the Repayment Assistance Plan? Education Secretary Linda McMahon urged SAVE borrowers to transition quickly to alternate repayment plans. "For years, the Biden administration used so-called 'loan forgiveness' promises to win votes, but federal courts repeatedly ruled that those actions were unlawful," she said in a statement on July 9. "Congress designed these programs to ensure that borrowers repay their loans, yet the Biden administration tried to illegally force taxpayers to foot the bill instead." McMahon said the department urges all borrowers in the SAVE plan to transition to what she calls "legally compliant" repayment plans, pointing to the administration's proposed Repayment Assistance Plan, RAP, slated to replace the existing Income-Based Repayment Plan in 2026. SAVE based monthly payments, which could be as low as $0, on discretionary income. In comparison, RAP bases payments on gross income and requires all borrowers, even those who report no income, to make minimum monthly payments of at least $10. The new plan was part of a series of student loan changes included in Trump's massive tax and spending bill, signed into law on July 4. Most of the overhauls take effect July 1, 2026, and include new limits on the amount that students and their families can borrow and new eligibility criteria for Pell Grants, which help low-income undergraduate students. Contributing: Reuters; Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY. Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Report – Nigeria Star's Agents To Meet With Atalanta To Get Price Tag For Inter Milan
The agents of forward Ademola Lookman are set to meet with Atalanta in order to secure a price tag for Inter Milan. This according to Italian outlet They report that the Nerazzurri are waiting to see whether La Dea's asking price is within reach for them. Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has spent the past few days trying to force his club's hand on a transfer to Inter Milan. The Nigerian international had responded to Atalanta's rejection of Inter's second offer by scrubbing all traces of his current employers from his social media accounts. Then, yesterday Lookman took things several steps further. The 27-year-old made a public transfer request. And today, Lookman no-showed Atalanta's training session. He is making absolutely crystal clear what he wants. Agents Of Ademola Lookman To Meet With Atalanta To Get Price Tag For Inter BOLOGNA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 28: Ademola. Lookman of. Atalanta. BC looks on during the Serie A match between Bologna and Atalanta at Stadio. Renato Dall'Ara on September 28, 2024 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by) Part of the problem with the negotiations between Atalanta and Inter is that the Bergamo club have never given their asking price. They have rejected bids worth €40 million and then €45 million. However, at no point have they given Inter an explicit counteroffer. Therefore, Inter don't really know what kind of bid to make to convince La Dea. The Nerazzurri are waiting for Lookman's representatives to hold a round of talks with Atalanta, though. There, the hope is that the agents will finally secure a clear valuation of Lookman from Atalanta. Inter are ready to increase their offer if they have to, reports However, if Atalanta demand €50 million plus add-ons, then Inter will walk away from their pursuit of the Nigerian, the outlet anticipates.
