The locally produced romaine is wimpy and lacks sufficient turgor to withstand being tossed and combined with the classic caesar ingredients... frankly it is better to go with the local head lettuce than to use the flabby local romaine.
Villa sells Dole, imported from the U.S. It is definitely more expensive but it is also like a different animal... plenty of snap, much larger and far more satisfactory in a caesar. There is very little waste, so you get to eat almost every ounce you buy... and it maintains its integrity for an hour or more after being subjected to the heavy dressing ingredients that define a proper caesar.
