Imagine, if you will, a pizzeria salad: most likely not the most appealing image. However, a trip to the Red Sea Pizza and Market has entirely shifted our perception of the possibilities of such a humble dish. 

Not more than a 15 minutes’ walk from Riordan, the modest shop, adorned with a mural of its wares on the exterior, greets customers with a stout glass counter and an extensive menu board. The restaurant offered classic pizza and sandwiches alongside less standard fare; their gyros are a personal favorite. 

Relevant to this review, however, one finds a brief list of salads at the menu’s center. Upon a cursory glance, the Greek Salad, consisting of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, and olives, seemed a solid choice. 

Despite previous positive experiences with the market’s food, expectations for the salad were, in honesty, meager. The salad, however, proved itself far beyond its anticipated quality. 

The vibrant ingredients were wonderfully fresh: the lettuce had a stout crunch, the tomatoes were sweet, and the cucumbers were perfectly crisp. 

The tangy dressing and salty cheese combined with the subtle flavor of the olives lent the whole salad a satisfying and fulfilling flavor, contrasting nicely with the refreshing flavors of the vegetables. 

The salad overall was genuinely satisfying and unexpectedly high quality. A trip to Red Sea Pizza in Mission Terrance, recommendable any day, is even more so in light of such a delicious discovery.