Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss bread cubes with 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp salt on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 10–12 minutes, stirring once halfway, until golden and crisp. Remove and let cool.

Caesar dressing

Make dressing

In a bowl, combine minced anchovies, minced garlic, Dijon, Worcestershire, and lemon juice. Whisk in mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in 1 tbs grated Parmesan and 1 tsp black pepper. If the dressing is too thick, whisk in up to 2 tbs water, 1 tbs at a time, to reach a pourable but thick consistency. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or Worcestershire as needed.

Salad

Grill romaine

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F / 200°C). Remove any loose outer leaves from the romaine and slice each head lengthwise through the core to create two halves. Pat cut sides dry. Lightly brush the cut sides with 2 tbs olive oil and season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.

Place romaine cut-side down on the hot grill. Grill 2–3 minutes until char marks form and the lettuce begins to wilt slightly, then flip and grill the outer side 30–60 seconds just to warm through. Remove from grill and transfer to a platter, cut-side up.

While the lettuce is still warm, spoon or drizzle about 3–4 tbs of the Caesar dressing over each romaine half (adjust to taste), allowing some dressing to pool in the crevices but not saturate. Scatter the prepared croutons evenly over the lettuce and top with shaved Parmesan. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.