At Modesto, the usual is not routine

There are places where ordering the same thing every visit is not a rut, but a well-earned choice. The soup-and-salad lunch at Modesto is one of those orders: quick to the table, reasonably good for your health and a deeply satisfying boost for the rest of the workday.

Modesto is part of the restaurant group owned by Ozzie Fernandez. His other restaurants—including the delightful Rocca—evidence that he runs the best collection of dining places in town. Each has its own identity, and Modesto’s is clear: This is Mexican cooking, not Tex-Mex.

At lunch, the Cesar salad comes with black beans and grilled corn, additions that could seem gimmicky but instead feel completely at home. More importantly, it is dressed with the best Cesar dressing I’ve eaten in town. Add grilled steak seasoned with Mexican spices or seared ahi tuna; both are standout choices. Skip the grilled chicken. Grilled chicken is boring, even when a restaurant tries to rescue it with cumin and other Mexican touches.

The best part of the meal, though, is the tortilla soup. Too often, tortilla soup arrives thin, bland and memorable only for the fried strips floating on top. Modesto’s version has real depth: umami from the broth and a smokiness from chipotle peppers.

The soup arrives warm, so eat it first. This sounds obvious, but salad has no temperature to lose, and the broth deserves your immediate attention.

And if your workday can tolerate a little indulgence, finish with the churros. They are crunchy, sweet and dusted with cinnamon, then served with a luxurious caramel sauce.

Some habits deserve to be broken. This one deserves to be repeated.