Kalisa's Cannery Row Papaya Salad

I am filled with nostalgia for Kalisa's Cannery Row whenever I make this fresh, gingery mock chicken Papaya Salad. Can you believe the inspiration comes from a recipe I learned over 40 years ago?

Even more astonishing is the flamboyant character who taught me how to make it. That larger-than-life person was none other than the Queen of Cannery Row herself, Kalisa Moore.

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• Kalisa's restaurant
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Kalisa's restaurant

Kalisa opened her first restaurant on Cannery Row in the 1950s during the days of infamous author John Steinbeck. Back then, my grandmother lived a few blocks up the hill from Cannery Row. Thus, she could tell captivating stories about the live music and belly dancers at Kalisa's place. Artists and bohemians clomped across the wooden floors of her establishment, filling chairs and tables into the wee hours.

By the time I met Kalisa, the belly dancers were gone. The canning era and its remarkable people had all but faded away. But Kalisa was as colorful as ever. When I say colorful, I mean it literally. Not only did Kalisa drive a converted ambulance, but she had painted it bright orange. When she made the 3-mile drive from Cannery Row to Asilomar Beach, you couldn't miss her.

Perhaps you are wondering though why Kalisa regularly drove to Asilomar Beach? Well, to this day, people mention her name on Cannery Row. But in the shadow of that greatness, there is a back story I suspect few people know. You see, when I knew Kalisa, she had a second restaurant. It was nestled under the wings of the modest Beachcomber Inn that crowns Asilomar Beach.

Chef lessons

It just so happens that the first job I held out of high school was cooking for Kalisa at that restaurant. Just like her orange ambulance, you knew when she had entered the building. I always felt a bit of nervousness when she came to check on us. However, she was never phased by my fear. Whether she was instructing me how to tend the 24-hour stockpot on the stove or ladle spoonfuls of homemade garlic oil for the remoulade, it was all done boldly and matter of factly.

Likewise, the papaya salad I was schooled in seemed daring at the time. I certainly hadn't seen anything like it anywhere else. The juicy combination of sweet papaya, cool chicken, and candied ginger all tossed in the greens struck me from the start. How did she dream it up? It was utterly delicious, and I strove to make each order as much to her specifications as I could.

Sadly, Kalisa has passed away. I will never know what she might think of my plant-based version made with tofu mock chicken. However, somehow I suspect she would applaud me more than chastise the innovation. After all, I never once saw her give in to convention.

My cilantro lime dressing is insanely delicious. It compliments beautifully the crisp lettuce, crunchy water chestnuts, savory mock chicken, and sweet, juicy papaya. I know I love the salad as much as ever and will always thank Kalisa for taking me under her wing.

More salad recipes

• Sesame & Ginger Rainbow Salad
• Star Fruit, Celery & Gotu Kola Salad

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