The Davis Family (back row, left to right): Donnie, Doris, Jimmy, Mary, Ruby; (bottom row, left to right): Margie, Alta, Jon, Jim, Nadene. My Dad’s the little squirt who surprised them all when he happened upon the scene.
There is a restaurant called Doc’s Steakhouse in Wichita that is famous for its garlic salad. As far as I can tell, this is a Wichita thing that you can’t find elsewhere but let me know if you’ve heard of it in your neck of the woods.
I’ve actually never had it at the steakhouse, but my Aunt Ruby got ahold of a copycat recipe and started bringing it to the annual Davis family reunion (that’s my Dad’s side of the family) back in the 60’s and we love it so much the only way she’s ever going to get out of not bringing it is if she dies. Our annual reunion is a pig roast and there are only three things that our family depends on being present every year (besides the family): pork, garlic bread, and Aunt Ruby’s garlic salad. Other than that, there’s always a huge amount of food but we don’t care what it is as long as those three things are on the table.
Part of the food line
Aunt Ruby kindly shared the recipe with me several years ago; I rediscovered it when I was organizing my recipe binder and figured it was about time I made it! I first made it for a mother’s day celebration picnic my husband’s family has every year, then made it for a potluck lunch our friends had after Church the following week and both times I got lots of compliments and recipe requests. I think it is perfect for this time of year when barbecues and potluck picnics abound.
Below are two versions of the recipe, the original and my adaptation of it that doesn’t call for anything strange, doesn’t waste half a head of cabbage, has more color, and is easier to make. While my version is OK, and people who had never had the original loved it, I have to say Aunt Ruby’s is MUCH better!
Mine has a more pronounced garlic flavor and hers is more mild. I’ll leave it up to you which one you want to try but either way, I don’t think you can go wrong. It’s good stuff.
Aunt Ruby’s Copycat Garlic Salad
Printable Recipe
1 head iceberg lettuce
1/2 head of cabbage
1 medium carrot, peeled
1 pint (2 cups) Hellman’s real mayonnaise
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 drops liquid garlic*
Shred the first three ingredients, then put in a blender and fill with water. Blend until they are in small pieces, then strain out in a cheesecloth, squeezing out as much water as possible. Alternatively, you can shred everything using your food processor, then remove it to a bowl to place the blade attachment in the bowl, and process everything until in small pieces. Transfer to a cheese cloth or paper-towel lined colander/sieve, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Put into a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate at least 12 hours before serving.
*Aunt Ruby says you can find this in the spice section at your supermarket, but I checked three or four before giving up. It is available online here. **Update: I started making it with Howard’s Garlic Juice, at Ruby’s son’s suggestion, which I did find near the spices. It works really well and gives the same flavor, but isn’t as strong and takes 1/2 teaspoon or more to get a good garlic flavor. This is also the way her son makes it, with the garlic juice – she taught him and he took over the garlic salad making several years ago.
Veronica’s Garlic Salad
Printable Recipe
1 head of lettuce
1 head of cabbage
2 carrots, peeled
2 cups real mayonnaise*
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp garlic powder
Roughly chop the first three ingredients. Working in batches, put them in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and process each batch until small pieces. Place finely shredded veggies in a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate at least 12 hours before serving.
*For the first batch, I made my own mayonnaise, but used a generic light mayonnaise in the second batch. Strangely, I liked it better the second time!
Veronica's Cornucopia 
We have something very similar but it’s called Kansas City Garlic Salad….use a whole small head of cabbage, chopped very fine with an onion. You roll it in a thick bath towel and put in fridge overnight to pull out all the moisture. Next day you mix this with a pint of Hellman’s and two teaspoons of garlic powder. This makes almost a dip consistency which you can eat on crackers but we eat it by the spoonful!
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Very cool–thanks for letting me know! That version sounds really good.
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I am searching for the receipe that was featured at Bill’s Cafe or restaurant on south Seneca in Wichita Ks back in the early 60’s Thats the only place I have ever had a garlic salad but man it was delicious
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I grew up in Wichita, currently in Ohio. I dined at Doc’s for years and loved this salad. I have tried to make it before but this works for sure. Thanks for the recipe. It is the best!
roy
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WOW Garlic salad?!! Veronica, you should know that we Koreans are known for our garlic breath…what with all the kimchi we eat…and add garlic salad to our diet, and we’ll be stinking so much we’ll be banned from foreign countries! lol!
Oh and I’m finally starting to catch up to some blog reading…congrats on your new weight loss blog! Hee, I hope you meet your target!
And another thing: You were NOT the person to mention that “Hongkies” were a racial slur…please don’t worry about that at all! It was some other commenter by the name of Julie, who didn’t add a link. And I totally would never misunderstand that you meant it in an offending way anyway! :-)
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Haha–like my hubby always said, if everyone ate garlic there’d be nothing to complain about. So we just need to convince the non-garlic eaters to start eating it so we can all life in garlic-euphoria! Thanks for reassuring me on the Hongkies thing. It still tickles me that they’re called that.
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Funny… when my husband and I were dating, we went to Doc’s or Uncle Abe’s or Spears, one of the places that had garlic salad…and we realized we were in a dilemma, because we both were used to eating garlic salad there at the restaurants but this was our first time eating there together as a DATE. So he finally admitted that he wanted garlic salad but was afraid of offending me with garlic breath. I was like, well yea, that’s what I was concerned about. But, I stated, if we both ate garlic salad, then the garlic breath would cancel each other’s breath …and we plowed on in! Must have worked because we’ve been married 23 years and regularly enjoy garlic salad!
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Wow, 3 forms of garlic! I’m a garlic lover though, so I’m definitely in. :) I think I’d like to roast the garlic and use that…this salad sounds incredible!
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Roasting it would make it millder and a different flavor and DOES sound good! Great idea!
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I’m headed to Wichita next week and had planned on going to Doc’s so stumbling across this post was great news. I’m gonna try the salad (this is the 4th mention of the famous garlic salad I’ve run across — so it must be killer good!)
I’ll probably have the original and then try your recipes afterwards so I can plan to play with the garlic levels. Thanks Veronica!
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Cool–maybe you can let me know how the recipe compares to what you tried. I know it’s nuts but I’ve NEVER eaten at Doc’s. I’ve eaten at Mike’s, which also has a garlic salad, but it’s not as finely chopped. I did think Ruby’s salad tasted identical to it, though. Let me know how it works for you!
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Doc’s closed.
Mike’s closed.
Uncle Abe’s closed.
There is only one Spear’s location (W. Maple off of West street, near Towne West) open now.
And of course, the Nu-Ways.
And Leeker’s Grocery Store at 61st St N. & Broadway (Park City) usually has garlic salad in stock in their deli – it’s the cabbage kind and I usually have to add more garlic to it. It’s great to grab and go for potlucks…
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Well V this does look interesting… Already have another version running through my head. Wifey doesn’t care for fully chopped slaws or salads so I might try a basic shred or perhaps a broad rough cut (pieces about a half inch by an inch). She also hates Iceburg so I will probably try Romaine as that is the closest in texture. I think the addition of some firm red bell pepper (or yellow as these are the two sweetest) might work as well and add additional color… maybe cut the green cabbage with Red as well…..Ahhh foodie fun and games for a few days!
D
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Wifey is picky! Lucky she has such a sweet accomodating husband! :) Sounds good, Dewey–let me know how it turns out.
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She has her picky moments… not a whole lot of them but those she chooses she is pretty adamant about.
Won’t let me fry anything at all so when she is out on biz I experiment with hot wings sweet potato nests… stuff like that. LOL!
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It sounds like she’s a healthy eater. She’s a good wife keeping you on track–he he!
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Can I join your family? :-P That whole pig looks amazing!
And like sophia above, I love me some garlic too, so can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks! :-)
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You know what’s funny? Even though our family reunion was always called a “Pig Roast,” I somehow remained completely ignorant of the fact that there was pig served at it until I was a teenager. My mom didn’t eat pork and never showed us where the pig was served (separate from the main food tables) so we just never ate it! And now that I know about it, I only take a nibble b/c I don’t really like pork (except for bacon, of course). So sure, you can join us and take my portion! :)
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That looks like something we make. I want to show this to my hubby. How do you do that link to a “printable recipe”? That is a great idea!
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Hi Natasha! I use docs.google.com to make printable recipes. The exact process goes like this (you’ll have to create a Google account first if you don’t already have one): click “create new” then “document.” Copy the recipe from your blog to the document, editing the size and font, etc as you wish, then click “save.” Then click “share,” then “publish as web page.” It will take you to a new screen where you can click “publish document” and then a link will pop up. Use that link to create a hyperlink in your blog. Let me know if you need help with creating a hyperlink. Hope this helps!
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The pig roast reminds me of a luau in Maui. How do you know when its cooked through?
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I’m not sure but they must use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It’s a group of men that handles the cooking of the pig and all I know about the process is they inject it with a lot of homemade flavor solution before sticking it on the spit.
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Thanks for the info on making the link. That is very helpful!! About the pig roast; I don’t think I’d be brave enough to cook something like that, but my Ukrainian relatives would sure appreciate something like that.
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Thank you so much for having this on here.. I’ve been looking for this recipe for years… I have had the Garlic Salad at Doc’s Stake house in Wichita, Kansas before and it is wonderful.. and I’m very excited to make this.. Haven’t had it in years but I love it… Thank you again…..
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I think my Aunt Ruby’s version is probably more authentic but I haven’t had the real thing so I wouldn’t know! I hope you enjoy.
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Hi I live in Wichita,Kansas and have had the garlic salad from Docs.I happen to know the real receipe from Docs and there is no cabbage or lettuce at all in the receipe.
3 bunches celery
1 pint Heilmans mayonaise
1 tbl garlic salt
1 tbl garlic powder
1 small carrot
finely mince celery and carrot in food prosseser put in cheesecloth and get all the water out.
Mix mayo,garlic salt,garlic powder and celery and carrot mixture in big mixing bowl stir completely.Put saran wrap or foil over bowl and frigerate over night.Stir next day.
Put individual salad serving in small bowl with small amount of shredded lettuce on the bottom add garlic salad then sprinkle paprika on top for color.Then Enjoy!!!!
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I am a wichita native and that is the real deal. Absolutely. I thought I was the only that knew the secret celery recipe.
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The real recipe calls for garlic juice. My aunt and uncle where the owners best friends. We eat it all the time!
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VERY COOL! I will have to try this–thanks so much for filling me in. :)
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you only put minced celery on the very top of the shredded lettace – no cabbage in Doc’s salad.
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I also from Wichita and just sent email you are right it was made with celery not cabbage I have ate Doc,s Garlic salad since I was about 10 yr. Old and I am now in my 60,s I vrew up living about 3 blocks crom Doc,s. I grew ou on 13th and Emporia
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THanks Chris, I’ve heard that and shamefully have to admit I’ve still note eaten Doc’s garlic salad. This is just the way my aunt Ruby has always made it and we love it her way.
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I’ve seen this before but it is so WRONG…shredded lettuce, celery and carrot. Yes, served on dry shredded lettuce but lettuce is the main ingredient in the salad.
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I was just talking to my mother this AM about getting together this spring/summer for a BBQ. She then went on to tell me about going to Doc’s Steakhouse a long time ago (before I was born) and how they had such a wonderful garlic salad. A few years later she was able to get the recipe from someone who worked there. I did a quick search and stumbled upon your blog. The neat thing is the recipe she wrote down almost 40 years ago matched your Aunt Ruby’s to a T! Can’t wait to try this myself. Nice blog! GO SHOCKERS!!!
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Now that is very cool! My aunt must have got the recipe from someone that worked there too! Hope you like it. :)
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Veronica –
there are gobs of places in Wichita that do Garlic Salad – each a bit different than the other!
Doc’s Steak house you are already familiar with..
There was Abe’s Steakhouse, which is where I first tasted it, but they closed up in the 90’s and for a while, his nephew kept the location open as “Uncle Abe’s Steakhouse” or some such but it didn’t last long, maybe a year – and his garlic salad wasn’t quite like the original.
Spear’s has their own garlic salad, which best I can tell is mostly lettuce, (but I get them all mixed up in my mind!!)… there is only one store left, out west near Towne West mall.
Leeker’s Grocery Store makes a cabbage garlic slaw for their “to-go” Deli – it’s pretty good but always seems to be more raw like it hadn’t been sitting around long enough for the flavors to marry, or they overcompensated or something… but it’s handy if I’m heading off to a potluck and want to pick up a pound or two of it. They are up in Park City, KS and in Valley Center, KS.
And of course our World Famous NuWay Burgers – which is also more of a cabbage and lettuce blend, some days better than others. There’s like um, I think 3 locations left now – the original one is on W. Douglas just a few blocks west of Seneca. There’s on on E. Harry, more or less straight south of the St. Joseph Via Christi hospital, maybe a block or so east-ish. There’s one up at Central & Woodlawn. There’s one out west on Central, around Tyler or Ridge Road. Ridge, I think. So I think that’s the only ones left? They have had more – oh wait, well I don’t know if the one on South Seneca is still open or not, down in the Pawnee & Seneca area.
Soooo each one is a bit different – some add more carrots, others are just strictly shredded cabbage or lettuce (depending) and the garlics.
Now I don’t know how old your Aunt Ruby is (was), but I’m curious maybe her “Garlic Liquid” might be this Watkin’s Garlic Liquid Spice (http://www.amazon.com/Watkins-01892-Garlic-Liquid-Spice/dp/B006K3CUYK/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1326090830&sr=1-1 ) – Watkins was a door-to-door company through much of its history and many of the women I know of that generation (born 1900-1930’s) would have grown up using Watkins products. And I’d never seen a garlic recipe version using any garlic liquid but it stands to reason. Now whether or not Doc’s or others use it, I’ve no clue (you know they all keep it “top secret” etc.) It’s only been just in the past two or three years that I’ve been seeing some of the Watkins spice products (particularly the dry stuff in tin cans, like cinnamon, pepper, cloves, that sort of thing) on the shelves like at Walmart and some of the grocery stores. They also sell via online website and “consultants” (much like the original door-to-door except you contact them or they have brochures that they mail, or distribute in other ways.). So anyway, that’s a thought.
I’ve also seen jars of minced garlic packed in a type of oil, maybe in it’s own garlic oil, I’m not sure – need to get a new bottle and check it out. My old one seemed to be getting bad so I pitched the jar a few months ago. Not sure what other brands of liquid garlic might be available in the grocery store.
So anyway, that’s my thoughts on it now – and happy to see your two versions!!.
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Like the post. This is Stewart I was the chef of Abe’s and kitchen / restaurant manager for the last 20 yrs of operation. I was not given the option of being able to keep this historical steakhouse due to me being a stepson to owner even though I and my mother ran it for 20 yrs. Other family whom did nothing but wait a few table a week. Sold it split money and left me in the street. I am now in process of turning around Burn out bar and grill in wichita. Where you can get my garlic salad as so many other great dishes of mine and abe’ s as well cause its all me. Not arrogant by any means. I have been also going to help with el mexico restaurant open another location. I am also going to reopen the old China row on west st. In wichita. Remodeling going on now. Going for steakhouse with various dishes all top notch and also launching my stuchangas with fifty various combinations. From steak to chicken to roast to veggie lovers Chile Verde and desserts stuchangas. So soon be ready . Cause I’m back after a couple car wrecks took me down for awhile so I spent those past year’s learning all types of cuisine. But I’m not putting a hundred ingredients into a dish it doesn’t take that to make the best quality dinners. Spread the word. Stu from Abe’s is back and better than ever. It will be small menu at first. While it builds with also reopening at clubs close to serve breakfast. There is also a club Corkys that is all one business Corky and I doing it together he has club and I have restaurant. I’m going to try and paint Bob Ross style black light fluorescent paintings in dinning room with candles on tables for the perfect relaxing non corporate dining experience. And a sound level that doesn’t make. You want run a car off a bridge. Lol. Hope to see you all soon. Peace. Stu
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Stu – Where is your restaurant now??
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Thank you for posting these recipes! I tried Aunt Ruby’s version and it was Excellent!!!
It tasted exactly like Doc’s, which I happen to love. I cheated by buying bags of shredded lettuce and Angel Hair shredded cabbage. I used a ratio of 2:1, lettuce to cabbage. I also found Howard’s garlic juice at our local grocer here in Wichita. Just shredded some carrots to add in. Wonderful – can’t wait to try some more of your recipes. Your website makes me hungry!!!
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I love Doc’s garlic salad and decided to do a recipe search (which is how I found this) never imagining that I would find the real one. Thank you soooooooooooooooo much for sharing this. I am anxious to try it. I have searched for it before but never found one that tasted quite the same.
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I hope you like it! If it’s not what you remember, there is a recipe left above by another commenter that you could try. Let me know what you think!
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Just to let u know I have had the salad at Doc’s when I lived in Wichita. Now live in New Orleans and still have fond memories of the salad. Thanks for the recipes! Marlise McCammon, former Director of Employee Relations at Wichita State University
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Aw very cool! Nice to “meet” you!
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Hi Veronica –
Just thought I’d let you know that Doc’s Steakhouse closed this past Saturday October 25, 2014 at the end of business day. We went there Friday night and all of us ate a bowl of garlic salad. Plus, I bought their triple order “to go” and shared it with the potluck group at church. I’m not sure what John is talking about having only celery and no lettuce and cabbage but all of the garlic salads on our table and what I brought home DEFINITELY had lettuce and cabbage in it. I even posted a note on my facebook page with a photo. I’ve had several asking me for recipes and I posted a copy of your Garlic Salad blog URL on it so you may get other comments.
http://www.kansas.com/entertainment/restaurants/dining-with-denise-neil/article2150967.html
(has a recipe) and http://www.kansas.com/entertainment/restaurants/dining-with-denise-neil/article3222951.html
Julia
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Aw, that is so sad! Thank you for telling me and linking to the recipe!
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Veronica – I wanted to introduce people to Garlic Salad and so I wrote a blog about it today with links to your blog here… Please let me know if I need to tweak it any? Thanks.
https://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=6536316
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Also, how many servings do the salads make, yours and your Aunt Ruby? Thanks!
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Thank you Veronica for your Garlic Salad recipe, it was awesome! I made your Aunts version and it was just like I remembered growing up in Wichita! I moved to Florida many years ago but still remember eating at Doc’s and Spears and the Garlic salad was my favorite!! I travel all over the World and have yet to see or taste anything like it!!
I also have many fond memories of eating at Angelo’s in Wichita and loving their Italian Sausage Pizza! I know the restaurant closed many years ago but I still comb the Internet endlessly looking for a copy cat recipe for their homemade Italian Sausage but still to no prevail!
I was wondering if you have an Italian Sausage recipe similar to Angelo’s or might know someone who used to work for Angelo’s that might have the recipe? Again, I have been to Italy many times and have yet to find an Italian Sausage that even comes close to Angelo’s! I truly miss the food in a lot of the restaurants in Wichita and try to make my rounds when I come home to visit family!! I enjoy visiting your website and thanks for all your recipes!! If you have any suggestions you can email me anytime or message me on FB! Thanks and take care!! Gina Moore Mazzocchi
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Gina,
I just wanted to share an article with you on the reopening of Angelo’s by their son, Jack!
http://www.kansas.com/entertainment/restaurants/dining-with-denise-neil/article68056072.html
Mary
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I was raised in Newton, but ate at docs numerous times before leaving at 21. Years ago I made the salad. 1968/70 and just recently thought about it again when I decided to make brisket sammys. I was please try surprised to find all of this information. I made a little tonight as a trial and can’t wait to eat it. It is chilling. Even years ago I used cabbage. Will get some celery tomorrow for the big batch for Sunday. I could not locate garlic juice, but I maceration some fresh. Thanks . Ruthi.
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I hope you like it, Ruthi!
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I grew up in Wichita.Docs was our favorite place and we always loved the garlic salad. I moved away, is Docs still there? I wasnt sure if it was ice berg or cabbage, now I know! So. Tonight, I added shredded iceberg lettuce to a batch of store bought coleslaw and doctored it up with fresh grated garlic and garlic powder. It is almost as good as I remembered, next time I’ll stick to your exact recipe and instruction. thank you for sharing! Kim Terry Archer
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Sadly Doc’s is closed now. It was inevitable since the neighborhood changed dramatically over the years (I lived in 13th and Market in the house north of the elementary school in the 80s and it wasn’t a safe neighborhood then either). But from my recollection of having garlic salad (was the only thing with any kind of vegetable my parents could get me to eat) it definitely had lettuce and some cabbage as it’s bulk ingredients. There’s no carrot at least in the Doc’s version but the garlic had to be something liquid since I don’t remember there being any inconsistency in the flavor of the mayo-based dressing used in it. And depending on who made it, it can be very finely chopped or more coarsely chopped. You could always tell a newbie was left in charge of making it on a given day when it was coarse or had too much water.
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Thank you for this. As a kid my family ate there every Friday night. My parents are gone now but I made this for my brother and sister, they loved it. I was the only one in the family back then that didn’t eat it. I am here to tell you in the winter those were some long rides home with the Windows up and four people had eaten this garlic salad. Thank you for the memories.
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Down around Pittsburg Kansas there is Chicken Annie’s. They have a garlic or sour slaw that is my absolute favorite! Wish I had a recipe! 6 hours to drive just for Chicken Annie’s is a bit much!
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I’ve been there!! We enjoyed it! I don’t think I tried their slaw tho, sounds like I missed out.
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My sister worked at Doc’s Steakhouse for 20+ years and I worked there for 1.5 years before it closed after 60 years in business. This recipe is very close to the original except that there is NO CABBAGE in Doc’s version! We did not mix the dressing with salad ingredients until ordered as it gets soupy/soggy if it sits even for a short time. We also sprinkled paprika on top. Delicious!
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Here I am, thinking of that garlic salad I had at Doc’s many years ago. I only had it once, but will remember it forever, because I had it for lunch and returned to work reeking of the garlic smell eminating from the pores of my skin. It really did not disappear until the next day. Aside from that, I remember it as being delicious, always meaning to return for another try, but alas, Doc’s is no more.
Here I find a former viola player from my middle school orchestra offering up a recipe for the garlic seekers…… yes! Makes me proud in a roundabout way! Thanks for making this available!
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This recipe is very close except there is ABSOLUTELY NO CABBAGE in Doc’s Garlic Salad. Also, in the restaurant we did NOT mix the dressing with salad ingredients until right before serving to keep salad ingredients crisp. This salad doesn’t sit or store well as lettuce is full of water so adding cabbage would definitely help that issue. Sprinkle paprika on top for authenticity.
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Doc’s always sprinkled paprika on top of each garlic salad.
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