Spinach Salad

* What could be better on a hot summer day than a light, wholesome spinach salad?

The Farm of Beverly Hills: This one is full of goodies: baby spinach, candied pecans, orange and grapefruit segments and blue cheese, tossed in citrus vinaigrette with a touch of mustard and honey. (Citrus salad, $10.95.) The Farm of Beverly Hills, 439 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 273-5578.

Basix: Here are two very different salads of baby spinach: One is with radicchio, apples, candied walnuts and blue cheese; the other includes roasted peppers, toasted pine nuts, French goat cheese and mushrooms. Both are in balsamic vinaigrette. (Spinach salad with candied walnuts, $5.25; spinach salad with roasted red peppers, $5.25.) Basix, 8333 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 848-2460.

Plums Cafe & Catering: The “winter spinach salad,” served year-round, is baby spinach, sun-dried cranberries, apples and toasted walnuts in honey Dijon dressing. The more familiar “other spinach salad” includes hard-boiled eggs, mushrooms and an Oregon pepper-bacon dressing. (Salad, half $6.95; whole $8.95.) Plum Cafe & Catering, 369 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, (949) 548-7586.

Cafe Midi: What a charming place to while away the hours. Have a spinach salad with a vinaigrette dressing, topped with roasted fennel, grilled asparagus, caramelized walnuts, tomatoes, goat cheese and some crisp pear. (Spinach salad, $9.50.) Cafe Midi, 148 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 939-9860.

Authentic Cafe: This exotic version is tossed with mung sprouts, cremini mushrooms and shredded carrot and topped with a sauteed chicken breast along with the chile-lime vinaigrette in which it was cooked. The whole thing is sprinkled with chopped peanuts. (Thai chicken salad, $10.50.) Authentic Cafe, 7605 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 939-4626.

Out Take Cafe: This version is spinach, endive and enoki mushrooms in Sherry vinaigrette, topped with roasted Japanese eggplant and Roma tomatoes and seared mushroom-spinach dumplings. (Spinach salad with dumplings, $8.95.) Out Take Cafe, 12159 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 760-1111.