Dining at Hugos by Modestos, Empire Damansara

If you were a teen in the 90s you would remember clubbing (do people even say this anymore?) or at least dining at the cool Modestos in Sri Hartamas. It was the place where the cool kids hung out and the not-so-cool kids like me just enjoyed the food and the music.

Fast forward about a decade and a half, you'll now find that Modestos is still a popular hangout place for the expats on Jalan P.Ramlee with four other branches in Publika,  RSGC (members only-ooooh), Encorp Strand, Kota Damansara and PJ Palms Sports Centre.

But what is Hugos by Modestos? Who or what is Hugos? Actually...they're really same same but different.

But who cares about the history, eh? You just want to know about the food, right? And if you're a Malaysian, food is on your mind every hour of the day, I'm sure.

So what does Hugos by Modestos offer? Waaaaait..where is it located first? If you've been applying for your BRIM or submitting your tax returns at the Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negara at Mutiara Damansara, you'll pass this epic looking castle-ish space on your right side, right? Or the hotel at the corner, QLIQ HOTEL? Yup, Hugos by Modestos is right there, one floor above the hotel lobby.

Qliq Hotel
So now that we know where it's at, let's see what they have to offer.

Waaaiiit...Where to park? There's a car park underground connected to the Damansara Performing Arts Centre DPAC (the parking entrance is just before Qliq Hotel's main entrance). Once parked, walk towards the hotel side entrance (you'll pass it on your way from the parking entrance) and you'll see MyNews.com. Turn to your left and take the escalator up. You'll see the bar then turn right (if you've not been lured to have a drink before dinner first). The dining area with its funky modern style designed furnishing, high ceilings, oval hanging lamps and shiny marble flooring will be on your left.

Photo credit: Sanjay Naidu, Exposure Studios

Photo credit: Sanjay Naidu, Exposure Studios

FOOD: Ok! So what do they serve? They strive to bring you the very best of local, regional and international cuisine with each dish created to satisfy the most discerning palate. Sounds so "canggih" but it basically means everything. Hugos by Modestos is however known more for its Italian fare.

As the restaurant is part of Qliq Hotel, hotel guests can start off their the day enjoying either their extensive breakfast buffet or ‘a la carte’ dishes there. So convenient!

For lunch and dinner they have created one of KL’s most extensive menus with a large variety of starters, main courses and desserts. Remember to always leave room for their ‘Signature’ dish – Tiramisu Modestos – a sensational blend of Mascarpone, Espresso, Coffee Liquor and Sponge Cake.

So what did I wolf down for dinner while I was there? All of the below!

As I was pretty hungry after making my way through the evening rush hour jams, I was satisfied to learn that I would be having...

Rocket Salad- RM23
Believe or not, the greens that you see in the photo are called...sweet rucola salad or rocket lettuce leaves. It has a sharp bite to it and reminds me a little bit of ulam raja. The red things you see are not beetles but are instead cherry tomatoes which add a nice sweet sour taste to the dish.

Vietnamese Seafood Stuffed Spring Roll- RM22
This was one of my faves with a crispy outer layer wrapped with seaweed which I dipped with chilli sauce. I gulped my piece down in two seconds.

Onion Soup- RM18
To soothe our throats in preparation for a possible karaoke session, we had the Soup of the Day which was incidentally the Onion Soup. The chef was very generous with the onions and it had just the right amount of salt.

Cannelloni al Funchi E parmigiamo Con Torfuno- RM32
In short, baked pasta with parmesan cheese, mushrooms and truffle. This was another of my favourites as the cheese was not overpowering and it had a generous amount of mushrooms. As the three of us shared this dish, it was gone in 60 seconds. (Hey! That's a name of a movie, ain't it?)

I couldn't wait for the Main Course!

Premier 1/2 Roasted Chicken - RM34
I'm a fan of roast chicken so I'm quite fussy when it comes to the inside being soft and tender while the skin remains slightly crispy. Hugos by Modestos nailed this. Don't ask me what ingredients were used in the recipe but a quick Google check shows that the most common ingredients used for nice roast chicken would include a little garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, onion oil, olive oil and butter (plus whatever special ingredient the chef might have). HERE you can check the recipe it out HERE yourself.

The fries were not oily which was great and the coleslaw had the right amount of mayo. Again, the three of us shared this dish so it was gone in about 5 minutes.

Dragone- RM39
What do you see when you look at this picture? I saw a dinosaur and was excited to know what was inside its tummy. Hugos by Modestos calls it the Dragone and when it is sliced open, mozzarella cheese oozes out while the turkey ham, mushrooms and eggs remain disciplined inside. It is served with a side of pasta sauce.

What's next?

Crepe Suzette- RM20
To end the meal on a sweet note, we shared the Crepe Suzettte which was drizzled generously with caramelized tangerine zest sauce to complement the sweetness of the ice cream inside. The portion was nice for two to share if you're not so much into sweet things.


RATINGS: 


FOOD: For big eaters, it's best not to share your dishes unless you're ordering a lot of dishes. Food was flavorful and I have no complaints.






ENTERTAINMENT: They have a live band on Thursdays and salsa loving dancers gather there on Friday nights. It is said that the place is packed with about 100+ people dancing to their hearts content on a good Friday night!

I'll come on another night to share ratings here

SERVICE: The waiters though polite can be a little bit more attentive. We started with the starters at around 9pm and ended the 7-course meal at 10.20pm with some waiting in between. The restaurant had about 30 patrons on a Tuesday night.



AMBIANCE: The music isn't too loud, and it isn't smoky. Location and decor is good. Easy parking (by the way, if you park in the Hotel section, parking is RM8 flat).



PRICING: It is a little on the steep end, understandably



Operation hours: 6.30a.m. till late.
Restaurant & Bar seating capacity: 200 persons 
For reservations, contact: 03-2035 5866

Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing! If I got time , I'll go there. the foods look tempting *.*

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, look at all the delicious foods, can't wait to try out at Hugos by Modestos :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. love your photos... the food is surely delicious as all modestos are... but I did not quite like the wait... a bit too long unless you are taking time whispering sweet nothings to your date... hahahaha

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I would love to hear from you! Please leave your clouds of thought here :)