modesto's

my parents love modesto's. and somehow, i've been converted to a fan too. having tried the 3 different outlets at Orchard Parade Hotel, The Elizabeth and Vivocity, here's what i concluded.
Orchard Parade Hotel - i think they serve the best food out of the 3 outlets. maybe cos it's the place where i've tried the most things on the menu. still, i like the cosy feeling on the inside although most of the customers there prefer al fresco dining.
The Elizabeth - the decor and ambience here gives sort of a royal feeling. i guess being located away from the hustle and bustle of the city gives a sense of exclusivity. food was so-so...didnt remember it being fantastic.
Vivocity - this was our latest try! and i really enjoyed it! we went there only for pizza, because my food partner was craving for pizza after months of dieting. oh and the scenery from the restaurant is fantastic! overlooks the sea and you can get a glimpse of Sentosa, the boats and liners and the cable cars!

appetizer - freshly toasted focaccia bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. i'm always game for some of these! they actually served 6 pieces for the both of us but we were too excited that we forgot to take a photo until we ate 3 pieces. so that's why there are only 3 pieces left in the basket!

our main courses were 2 regular sized (12 inches) wood-fired oven pizzas! ordered one with beef bolognaise and the other one with chicken sausage. my first piece was the chicken sausage and i thought it was great. and then i tried the beef and that was twice better! can't believe we actually finished 2 pizzas without much difficulty...guess that's what happens when you're deprived of comfort food for awhile :)

nutella cupcakes!

i was gonna give up on cupcakes because i was resolved into thinking that they always look much better than they taste. well for me, the looks didnt really work as well. then i thought about nutella cupcakes and how everyone was saying it's such a forgiving and wonderful recipe. and so i decided to try it out! nowadays i really like making muffins cos i find them so easy and enjoyable to work with.

they turned out abit burnt - but nevertheless, you can never go wrong with NUTELLA! thanks to hazel, xw and rud for the support! will definitely be making more nutella cupcakes soon!

hearthbread

i tried baking bread for the first time in my life! and i learnt an important lesson in baking - always be patient! and always watch the oven. followed nigella's recipe for garlic and parsley hearthbread which is essentially like naan.

lesson #1 - why we should always be patient - always follow the recipe when they tell you to wait for the dough to rise; be it 1 hour, 2 hours or 24 hours! only then will you get a nice texture.

lesson #2 - why we should always watch the oven - simple, just look at my burnt toppings!

anyway i figured this recipe is too intermediate for a bread beginner like me! kinda tedious and long - shall try a simpler bread recipe next time!

mr potato!

i found these 4 mr potatoes swirling around in the microwave and thought they looked so cute! they look better in action! this is what the boyfriend eats :)

le creuset!

here's the new toy in our house! my folks have recently gotten interested in designer cookware...somehow i don't know if i can agree with them on paying almost three hundred bucks on a pot...while the beef stew is bubbling away inside...
Heat Distribution and Retention
"Cast Iron is a superior conductor of heat. The even thickness of the base, walls and lid means that heat distribution is even and energy efficient. Furthermore, the heat retention properties of the pieces are second to none, ensuring that the pot stays hot for second helpings."

i guess that's what makes the pot cost that much...and just fyi, it weighs a ton!

when it's messy, u know exams are coming

i just couldnt resist taking a shot of my war-torn area during exams...

aficionado!

what a way to celebrate a friend's birthday! so hazel and i were feeling guilty about not bringing our dear friend rudith out for her birthday dinner - so one month after that, we decided to do it in a special way. nope, not in a restaurant. but right in hazel's house! yes, her brother and gf set up this small little private dining business. so basically they cook everything and decorate everything you see below. (p.s. they're younger than me! gasps)

half of happy meal gang - poor rudith was abducted and blindfolded all the way and had no idea where we're going. she actually thought we were heading to a swimming pool!

it's much prettier in reality - pardon my lousy photography.

the setup - this is actually their dining table. (duh!)

a little peek into their garden!

HERE'S THE FOOD!

salad! greens never tasted so good. soup of the day - clam chowder. we were told this is homemade! way better than campbell's! and the garlic bread is fantastic (i'm a fan of garlic bread! bad breath =X)

main course #1: pesto pasta with king prawn!

they even had a palette cleanser! made from strawberries, mango (i think). can't remember what else there is. and the blue sugar on the rim of the glass is really pretty! jill (my old friend from classic cakes) concocted this up! she's really a genius - no wonder she's going to enrol into le cordin bleu!



Main Course #2: Who doesnt love steak! I'm sorry i forgot most of the dish names cos this was quite some time back..

And then there was dessert! A little bit too hard cos it was out of the freezer - but still i licked every bit off the plate!

gabriel and jill are really talented chefs! i've already told them i'm gonna invest in their restaurant! by being their star-dishwasher. :D