Modesto’s @ CapSquare,
Persiaran CapSquare,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2697 4020/21
Business hours: Noon to 3.00am (Monday to Friday),
4.00pm to 3.00am (Saturday).Closed on Sunday.
Pork-free.
TRY as hard as you may but it is difficult to set aside old favourites especially when the clientele calls for it.
Something new: Soo (left)holding the Tenderloin with Spinach and Mushrooms dishes Lai looks on.Such was the scenario when directors of Modesto’s decided to revamp its menu, which last underwent a drastic change in 2000.
Modesto’s parent company, Heritage Group of Restaurants & Clubs group marketing director Kevin T.M Lai said over the years, slower items had been dropped but the menu had not seen such an overall change in a long time.
“This time, we removed 52 items and added 43 new dishes which we feel, will appeal to our clientele,” he said.
The change, he said, was timely to reflect a fresh take on the long standing Italian restaurant’s offering after taking into account customer’s request to savour new dishes on the menu.
Deciding what dishes stayed and which new dish to include involved a lengthy process of cooking by Modesto’s chefs as well as numerous food tastings by the directors, before the go-ahead was given.
Lai said the new dishes would be available at all its restaurants including the newly opened Modesto’s at Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC).
Sharing Lai’s excitement over the new dishes, I did not need an invitation to dig into the Tonno Alla Griglia Con Rucola with Balsamico which featured tasty grilled slices of tuna, served with rocket leaves, Parmesan slices and laced with balsamic vinegar.
Listed as a starter, this rather addictive dish is handsomely priced at RM45 but Lai explained that quality tuna is used, hence, its price.
Pretty to look at and good to eat, the Baked Escargot with Pernod Cream (RM16) served in a light and frilly crispy filo casing, with soft and warm edible snails sitting within, did not take too long to be relished.
The starters has quite a few new items which women will find interesting when looking out for something light to eat like the Funghi Alla Griglia Saltati Cream Mushrooms and Marinated Mushrooms (RM19).
At first glance, the dish before me resembled mushrooms cooked in a pastry shell but a closer look revealed thick sliced bruschetta topped with mushrooms, cooked in different styles.
Before getting acquainted with the mains, my curiosity was piqued upon spotting the Mixed Seafood in Prawn Bisque (RM29) in the ‘soup’ section.
In this dish, a spoonful revealed the overdose of seafood flavours that might be alright for those who can’t get enough of prawns, fish and squid swimming in a flavourful prawn base but for me personally, the flavours were too rich.
I once again encountered the prawn bisque flavour, still fresh on my taste buds in the Fresh Homemade Flat Black Ink Pasta served with Sauteed Scallops, Prawns and Diced tomatoes in a Shrimp Bisque (RM42).
The pairing of shrimp bisque with black ink pasta seemed to tango well as I found it quite hard to resist, with my fork finding its way to that very plate, over and over again.
Lai said a lot of squid was required to get black ink for the pasta’s dark purple, black shade, freshly made here by executive chef Eddy Soo who was previously attached to Shangri-la Hotel Kuala Lumpur, San Francisco Steak House, Santini KLCC and The Courtyard Garden Restaurant.
“There is an obvious difference in the taste of the black ink pasta dish because our pasta is freshly made compared to using pre-packed pasta,” he said adding that vegetarians would enjoy the Linguini with Creamy Pesto Sauce (RM28) for the rich taste of pine nuts, accentuated with sweet basil, garlic and olive oil.
The mains rolled out with Tenderloin with Spinach and Mushrooms (RM68) and Cod Fish served with Pesto Potatoes and Sun Dried Tomato (RM58).
The tenderloin pieces, decked over mashed potatoes, spinach and asparagus like a tower on a plate is definitely a dream come true as the beef is tender, juicy and the side dishes, nicely flavoured as an accompaniment to the meat.
As Modesto’s is known for its pizzas, there are also new flavours alongside the old favourites.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.