The Mysterious History Behind Crab Louie Salad

There are parts of history shrouded in mystery. Much of food history, especially, can be murky as word of mouth is a major source of information, and some might lay claim to being the originator of particular dishes. One such case is Crab Louie (also known as Crab Louis) salad, whose origins are, at best, suspect. What we do know is Crab Louie is a long-standing West Coast American staple since the early 1900s. It's a hefty salad, made with greens, asparagus, tomatoes, red onion, cucumbers, avocado, crab meat, and its namesake, Louie dressing. We can also glean a bit more of its West Coast origins, given Dungeness is the traditional crab variety used in the recipe. From there, various unconfirmed stories have different tellings behind where the "king of salads" came from. 

Among the written accounts, two locations in San Francisco have early credits for Crab Louie: Solari's Restaurant in San Francisco claims inventing Crab Louie in 1914, and "Bohemian San Francisco," a foodie guidebook of San Francisco, references both the dish and the restaurant. Another reference comes from the St. Francis Hotel and a cookbook written by Victor Hirtzler that includes Crab Louis salad. However, that was published in 1919. According to HistorySmith, Bergez-Frank's Old Poodle Dog restaurant is thought to be where Louis dressing was first created in 1908, and it also featured Crab Legs à la Louis on its menu. While not a salad, it wouldn't be hard to make the jump, as it's the two focal ingredients of the dish. 

Beyond California, other states in the Pacific Northwest also have a history with Crab Louie salad. The Davenport Hotel notably featured Crab Louis on its menu when it first opened in 1914, allegedly named after the hotel's owner, Llewellyn "Louis" Davenport. A grand hotel making this claim might be a bold statement, however, Crab Louie being from somewhere aside from California is probable, as the earliest publication of it comes from Portland, Oregon. Indeed, "The Neighborhood Cook Book," compiled by the Portland Council of Jewish Women, includes a recipe for Crab Louis in the first, second, and third editions, dating back to 1912, two years before Solari's credit. 

Ultimately, it's difficult to ascertain where Crab Louie salad originated, given how long ago it emerged on the West Coast. However, it may not have been a singular place, as even James Beard reportedly noted the recipe likely emerged in multiple places at the same time. In any case, those wanting to make it at home may have to forego the traditional Dungeness crab since it's mainly found along the Pacific coast and aim for the best store-bought crab meat from a local grocery store instead. Given Crab Louie's similarities to Cobb Salad, it can even be customized and upgraded to include lobster or even benefit from a next-level swap of a poached rather than boiled egg.