FoodView
By the ViewCrew
What’s new Modesto? How many times when you go out to dinner, do syou say let’s try somewhere new? 10 minutes later, you are walking into your old faves. Comfortable? Yes. Tasty? Yes, but are you getting the most out of your exploration. Let’s break out of our routine and find something new. The ViewCrew fanned out and rolled the dice this month to check out some of our newer openings that we think you will really enjoy.
Sofia’s Bar & Grill
By Chris Murphy
A cool beautiful bar is one of the first things that grabs my eye. Wow, there is a really amazing place on Carpenter that has great cocktails, amazing mole sauce, house made tortillas, and a family story with recipes that are super tasty. Sofia is named after the daughter of the owner Juan Loya. What is amazing, this is their first restaurant and they NAILED it right out of the gate. The house-made tortillas are addicting and their mole sauce is exceptional. Especially good are their grilled meats and the Carne Asada Tampiquena is a great way to start for the grilled meat, and chicken mole enchilada. ViewCrew tip: Order a side of the AMAZING Poblano cream sauce that is served over many of their dishes for the chips. The charbroiled shimp tacos where just crispy enough and essential. The staff is friendly and efficient and Sandra and Brianna took great care of us and we will be going back soon. So whether you only have time for a quick bite at their colorful bar, or a full family dinner, this is a place you need to check out.
1101 Carpenter Rd. Modesto 209-408-8119 Open daily at 10 am, Closed Mondays @sofiasbarandgrill
Lofi Lounge and Dining
By Chris Murphy
Most Modestans that frequent downtown Modesto know the Lofi Labs Cocktail lounge has been key to Modesto’s culture for the last few years. LoFi Diner was formerly at this corner and after a long renovation, a new a beautiful restaurant has emerged, lush, plush, soft and welcoming. The menu is from Chef Nathan Heese and the offerings are different, tasty and quite special. Fans of Concetta will recognize Nathan’s flavors and Paul Tremayne curates the wine list. I had the most amazing house made fettuccini with Spanish chorizo. It’s amazing and passed the Mike Callizo Basque test. The filets are excellently cooked, the salmon has a great preparation of course the deviled eggs are special. The tasty craft drinks are some of the most interesting in town. The whole corner has been redone in mid-century and is on point. Psst: the carafe of chilled Carlo Rossi Hearty Burgundy pairs with everything. Get it Marci style.
Lofi Lounge & Dining 1323 J Street. Modesto 209-550-9032. Make reservations. @dinnerbylofi
Look for a longer story on LoFi soon, but we wanted to let up know what’s new.
El Rodeo
By MJ Mangano
El Rodeo is the newest gem in town, serving up bold, authentic New Mexican flavors in a warm, fun and welcoming atmosphere. The Burrito Ranchero is a must-try—packed with flavor and so filling. And don’t skip the chicken salad—fresh, zesty, and satisfying. Don’t miss out on their full bar with “giant” cocktails, great sharing appetizers and even karaoke nights. Whether you’re craving comfort food or something lighter- should give it a try. It’s a good time.
500 9th St, Modesto 209-526-7000 @elrodeobargrill
Open 10 am weekdays, 9 am weekends Closed Tues
Beto’s Bakery – Panadería & Pastelería
By Abigail and Harrison Power
Beto’s Bakery has been serving and baking artisan Mexican breads since 1978 and just celebrated the Grand Opening of their NEW location in Modesto on 4th St. in West Modesto. Breathing life back into the original iconic Eddie’s Drive-In, you can get a delicious selection of traditional and new innovative Mexican dessert treats. The most popular is the clown or “pan payaso”, but you can’t go wrong with anything they are making fresh daily. Also make sure to try their iced coffees, agua frescas, and horchata!
801 4th St Modesto, CA 95351 Mon-Sat: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
@betos_bakery
Onda Cocina
By Abigail & Harrison Power
You’ve known it over the years as Mexicali Grill, Altos Cocina, but now your favorite fresh delicious Mexican food can be enjoyed with a full bar at Onda Cocina in McHenry Village! You’ll leave feeling good about what you ate. It has options from fully decadent and cheesy plates to high protein, high veggie bowls – we love the Taco Salad and the Conditioning Bowl with Chicken. Enjoy it with a delicious cucumber lime agua fresca, horchata, or a Paloma or Margarita to top it off! They even do meal prep so you can order ahead and eat like a chef all week long.
1700 McHenry Ave Suite I-38 Mon-Fri: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM | Sat 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
@ondacocina
Carbon Al Pesto
By Middagh Goodwin
If you’ve never tried Peruvian cuisine, I recommend trying Al Carbon. Their Peruvian style rotisserie chicken is slow-cooked in a brick oven. It’s not too spicy, but full of flavor and incredibly tender. It is served with three flavorful sauces. Aji Amarillo sauce, a spicy and flavorful Peruvian chili sauce, which was my favorite. Aji Verde, also known as Peruvian green sauce, is a popular and flavorful condiment in Peruvian cuisine. It’s creamy, spicy, and tangy. You also are served house-made mayo. I ordered the Carbon Al Pesto, which included chicken paired with pesto pasta. The meal also featured a traditional Peruvian side dish, Papa a la Huancaína, which consists of boiled potatoes in a spicy cheese sauce, as well as a salad. To drink, I enjoyed a delicious glass of Mango Aqua Fresca. Carbon hosts live music at least once a month. Marlon Y Su Son Latino performs on August 23rd at 7
2400 Coffee Rd, Modesto, M 10 am 7 , Tu-Th 10 am to 8 pm, Fri-Sat 9 am to 9 pm Sun – 9 am to 7 pm. Al pm. @alcarbonmodesto
These are just a few of the new places on our agenda. Learn more and read our past FoodView articles at www.modestoview.com<www.modestoview.com> Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads @modestoview
