Superfood salad from Modmarket lives up to its name

The concept behind Modmarket is fresh, seasonal, farm-to-table food served up fast. And it's caught on fast: After the original outpost opened in Boulder two years ago, the company quickly opened two more locations. We stopped by the restaurant at 8575 East Arapahoe Road in Greenwood Village yesterday, hoping to grab a quick -- and cool -- meal.

The trick to eating lunch at Modmarket is to get there at the right time: If you come anytime after 11:30 a.m., you'll likely be waiting in a long line -- and forget about finding a table. But between 11 and 11:30, the lines are short and the dining room (paneled in dark wood and lit up with lots of white everywhere) is wide open.

The lunch crowds are mostly cubicle warriors, with a woman-with-toddlers thrown in here and there, and although the staff keeps the line moving quickly, it's smart to grab your food to go (or order online beforehand) if you want to get back to work in a timely manner.

There are quite a few vegetarian options on the menu, including an Eggplant Goat sandwich made with eggplant, red pepper, red onion, tomato, goat cheese, mixed greens and balsamic vinegar on ciabatta; all of the salads can be tweaked for a plant-eater's taste (roasted tofu is an option, too). We opted for the Superfood salad, a blend of spinach and kale lettuces, quinoa pilaf, strawberries, carrots, almond and champagne vinaigrette; instead of feta cheese, we added avocado to the top for some extra healthy fats. The champagne vinaigrette was light and summery, the spinach and kale were crisp and fresh, the strawberries were perfectly ripe and sweet -- and the quinoa added just enough "meat" (so to speak) to fill us up and give us plenty of energy, and protein, to face the rest of the day at the office.

The Modmarket menu changes seasonally, so visit www.modmarket.com to see the latest version.