These 5 must-try dishes from Modesto restaurants are Bee reporters’ favorites
As a business reporter, I’m always trying food from new restaurants in Modesto. I haven’t tasted anything I hate, but I’ve certainly had dishes that stand out.
You hear from me often with news of restaurants that have recently opened or soon will, but what about the places that have been around? And what do I and other people in the newsroom actually think about Modesto’s dining options?
There are five dishes in Modesto that are so good we’ve decided to step over the line of objectivity and tell you how we really feel. Our list of favorite dishes is way longer than five, but we’ve selected these to share with you.
Tom yum noodle soup from Thaiburi
Equity reporter Julietta Bisharyan says: Thaiburi’s tom yum noodle soup brought me back to life while I was fighting off a flu I picked up on vacation. The broth is a delicious blend of sour and spicy that is refreshing yet punchy enough to clear your sinuses.
As a San Francisco foodie, I like to think I have high standards when it comes to Asian cuisine, so I was pleasantly surprised when this noodle soup cured not only my symptoms but my soul. Anything on the menu at Thaiburi, 3900 Pelandale Ave., is a safe bet. Oh, and the Thai tea is a must, too.
Pepperoni pizza from Sacred Slice
Crime and courts reporter Dean Condoleo says: As someone who grew up on Long Island, I’m picky about pizza. The slice has to fold, the crust needs that slight crisp on the bottom, and the cheese has to do its part without stealing the show.
Sacred Slice is the closest thing I’ve found in Modesto to a true New York slice — which makes it even more surprising that it comes from a food truck, not a brick-and-mortar pizzeria.
Back home, the best slices usually come from corner shops with tiled floors and ovens older than me. Here, it’s served out of a truck window downtown.
The pepperoni curls at the edges, the cheese blankets a thin layer of sauce, and the crust delivers that familiar crunch that instantly feels like home. Sacred Slice also serves a wide variety of specialty slices — a hallmark of successful neighborhood pizzerias back east.
The only catch? You have to plan for it. With limited days and split lunch-and-dinner hours, Sacred Slice, at 722 I St., isn’t always open when the craving hits. But it’s worth timing your day around its business hours, which are on its Instagram page.
Combination plate from Papapavlo’s
Business reporter Dominique Williams says: I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to try Papapavlo’s Mediterranean Bistro & Bar.
I went with my husband on a whim when I decided last minute that I didn’t want to cook, but also not much sounded appealing. I chose Papapavlo’s because it was one of the first “restaurants near me” that popped up on Google.
When looking at the menu, my appetite changed. Everything sounded good. I went with the Papapavlo’s combination plate because I couldn’t decide on a single entrée.
I don’t know how to describe it other than the dish felt like home. My husband, whose childhood best friend comes from a family of Greek immigrants, said the dish reminded him of sleepovers when his friend’s parents would cook.
The combination plate comes with spanikopita (spinach casserole with feta cheese, eggs and green onions baked in a phyllo pastry), pastitsio (layered ground beef and macaroni topped with phyllo pastry) and moussaka (eggplant layered with beef and potatoes and topped with bechamel sauce) and is served with rice pilaf and vegetables.
Papapavlo’s is at 1320 Standiford Ave., Suite 2.
Pad-him-ma-phan from Thaiburi
Education reporter Atmika Iyer says: Thaiburi is my favorite date-night dinner spot in Modesto, and I’ve become a recent fan of the pad-him-ma-phan with fried tofu instead of chicken.
Whether you get a side of rice with it or just the stir-fry itself, the dish is one of my favorites. With cashews sautéed in garlic, fried chilies, onion and bell peppers, the warm and aromatic meal is worth a try with or without meat as protein.
The cozy spot is definitely one of the best Thai restaurants near us.
Vermicelli noodle salad from Pho 7
Workforce and consumer trends reporter Maria Figueroa says: I rarely order pho when I go to a Vietnamese restaurant, even though it is usually the most popular dish. To me, the underrated star of this flavorful cuisine is the vermicelli noodle salad.
Tucked away in a small shopping center on Carver Road is Pho 7 Vietnamese Restaurant. I first went here several years ago when a friend invited me to celebrate the Lunar New Year at this spot, and I have become a regular since.
I order the number 77, a vermicelli noodle salad bowl with shrimp, barbecued pork and pork meatballs that are not really meatball-shaped. It also comes with an egg roll, which I always pass to my dining companion since I eat gluten-free. But from the days when I could eat it, I can attest it is a perfect egg roll.
The star is the salad. Arriving in a giant bowl, heaps of cold vermicelli noodles are piled high with fresh, thinly sliced lettuce, bean sprouts and pickled carrots. The dish is topped with herbs and mint, and crushed peanuts accent the meat portions.
The final act is the pour of the nouc cham — the tangy, fish-based sauce that brings it all together. I toss the salad well, and when I take the first bite, the crisp flavors enrobe the cool crunch of the mix. This is when I close my eyes and let out an audible, “Mmm,” before eagerly going in for the next forkful.
You can modify this dish, adding whatever proteins you prefer and even peanut sauce, which Pho 7 will provide by request. But this combination, as it is, is simply the best.
Pho 7 Vietnamese Restaurant is at 1100 Carver Road, Suite 17.
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