Specific is one way to order. You can even be all Sally about it ("Waiter, I'll begin with a house salad, but I don't want the regular dressing. I'll have the balsamic vinegar and oil, but on the side. And then the salmon with the mustard sauce, but I want the mustard sauce on the side.")
Another way to order is to trust the establishment that you're ordering in, and ask them to bring you The Daily Special -- that is, ask the chef to bring you a wonderful tasting surprise that will benefit you most.
This works best if you are a regular.
And you may want to watch out for the exasperated patron at the corner table next to a geeky, vegan, bisexual dining companion, the guy brandishing a water pistol.
