Party in your mouth thanks to cadbury!

I'm not sure how many of you have seen the Cadbury "Marvellous Creations" advertisment on TV, but bascially it sees the addition of jelly bits, beanies, smarties and popping candy mixed with chooclate. My work collegues and I are addicted to it, becuase OMG it is like a PARTY IN YOUR MOUTH. The popping candy just keeps on popping and it's just fun to eat and is fantastic. The cruchie with jelly one isn't as good. So go all out for the cruchie, popping candy, smarties, jelly bits marvellous creations instead!

Go and try it if you haven't already! I know I have to try the peanut toffee cookie one.

ps. this is not a sponsored ad, although I really wish it was! because i wouldn't mind having a good supply of them in my cupboard, despite trying so hard to kick-start my exercise and diet again! (That is another story to tell for another day -  trust me it's hilarious!)

Modo Mio

Located in the Burswood entertainment complex, Modo Mio is a fine Italian cuisine restaurant decked out in simple but very chic baroque style interiors. It serves authentic Italian cuisine with unsurpassed quality and when an Italian gf loves the place you know it has too be good!

 

Their selection of food is wide and varied with quality fresh in-house pastas, pizzas, steaks and seafood it was a tough choice.

They served us a side of bread with beautiful butter and olive oil and sea salt. We had to restrain ourselves from getting more bread as we knew the mains and dessert would be filling, this also meant skipping entree.

 

However, seeing as it was the first time I've been to Modo Mio and with their well-known delicious freshly prepared in-house pasta I went for the linguiani and MT went for the black ink fettuccine. 

 Linguiani with salmon and prawns

I must say the pasta was absolutely delicious. It was creamy, smooth beautiful pasta. The diced salmon and prawns with the sauce was fantastic. Although, again with my very sensitive taste buds I found this dish slightly salty. But nonetheless it was probably the pasta dish I've had and the freshness is so obvious. 

Black ink fettuccine with seafood

 

I didn't get to taste MT's dish as I'm allergic to squid/octopus/cuttlefish but she absolutely loved it.

This was of course accompanied by a glass of red wine.

For dessert, it was such a tough choice, I wanted almost everything on the menu, but alas we Tiramisu and the Panna cotta con fragole marinate all’aceto balsamico e basilico. 

The tiramisu was AMAZING. The richness of the marscapone with the strong flavours of the espresso. It was exactly the way it should be.

The panna cotta - again, the custard was smooth, creamy delicious. And the hint of sour and sweet fruits with the sweetness of the panna cotta was the perfect balance. 

We were both in dessert haven. I still however, preferred the tiramisu, simply because I love coffee-flavoured things (done with real coffee) and I don't particularly have a sweet tooth.

I must say, Modo Mio is definitely worth the fuss and is sure worth the visit. Just be warned, that the staff wasn't exactly attentive and the service can be somewhat lacking, but the food is amazing and ambiance makes up for it.

 

Mary Poppins Musical

If you get the chance go and see Mary Poppins live musical at Broadway, West End or even good ole Perth's Burswood theatre.

It's amazing. The setting especially and the lighting, effects, show itself! And of course the familiar music and songs.

Thoroughly entertaining and definitely a great way to end my one week holidays!

P'tite Ardoise Bistro

J'aime un bon restaurant français, I love a good French restaurant. The cosiness and simplicity of P'tite Ardoise and the friendliness of the very Frenchy staff takes me back to my time in Paris, (except perhaps the staff at P'tite Ardoise was nicer and much friendlier).

“P’tite Ardoise” means “little blackboard” or “little slate” in French, and the blackboard motif is used throughout the restaurant with a lot of their food being served on black slates - which I think oozes sophistication, elegance and simplicity. The decor is minimalistic, sleek and is very French. The waiters and waitresses are authentically French, one of whom was from just outside of Lyon and was here to study English. So you really were transported there!

The menu at P'tite Ardoise consists of a selection of regular menu items and a selection of seasonal items. It's intimate and yet quite a fine selection of food to choose from. 

Bf and I opted for a three course of French flare and the menu offered so many lip-smacking good dishes it was hard to choose. Whilst we were pondering what to get, the waitresses were rather helpful and were very knowledgeable about the dishes. The one thing lacking on their menu though was a wine list - when we visited last month the place was still waiting for their alcohol license and it was still BYO. I really hope they get it, because we forgot to bring a bottle and the meal would have been fantastic if we had it accompanied with some red. We instead opted for lemon lime and bitters - which really isn't the same.

Before the entree, we were asked if we would like bread (which I thought was free - but it turns out it's $3.50 for bread - so if you are a bread eating and planning to eat more than just one then get it otherwise forget it). Having said that though, the butter, olive oil and olive dip was rather delicious.The ambiance of the place was also remarkable - very much like we were in France - I was very much nostalgic and wished I was back in romantic Paris.

For entree bf opted for the scallops with pumpkin and pesto (i believe - i can't remember what the dish was called) . I remember it being very well cooked - the scallops were perfect - not rubbery and it had beautiful balance of flavours.

I on the other hand, opted for escargot cooked chefs way. It came in ceramic dishes with this lightly toasted bread on top and what was underneath was a bit of a surprise. There was a creamy, delicious broth (although slightly on the salty side for me) filled with escargot. With the bread soaked in the broth and with spoonfuls of the escargot, both and bread it was fantastic!

For the mains, bf ordered the steak while I opted for their signature twice cooked duck. The steak was tender with a great cut and fantastic sauce (which was served separately in a gravy boat), while the duck literally fell off the bone it was perfection, although I wished they gave more of the sauce. Although the duck did come with a side of vegetables. Despite that it was truly an amazing dish and bf thoroughly enjoyed his meal too!

Then the best part of the night - the dessert. There was such a lovely selection to chose from. I really wanted to try the chef's tasting platter but decided that I can get that next time I came back to P'tite Ardoise, so instead tried their seasonal dessert which was this "flowery" patisserie - the smell was so fragrant and the taste was sweet. The patisserie was unbelievable good and mixed with the melted chocolate sauce the dessert was sensational - granted it was huge!

Bf on the other hand got this chocolate delight - however it had peanut on the top so had to be sent back and they carefully scrapped it and gave it fairy floss hair! And the ice cream that came with it had intense flavours.

All in all, P'tite Ardoise was a culinary delight, and one with attentive, obliging, friendly service and smiles. The only downfall is that it is hard to get a booking -in fact they might have changed their rules since we were there and no longer excepts bookings. Apart from that, once their alcohol licensed is approved it would be the perfect place for a date.

ps. Sorry the photos were taking on my iphone without flash so they turned out a bit yellow from the lighting in the restaurant.

Week off

Annual trip to Melbourne and a well deserved break. Yay!

coffee break

It's rather exhausting shopping for homewares, manchester, furniture etc.

So after a yet another day of shopping (seeing as shopping days are limited to Thursday, Friday night shopping and weekends it's taking a while) my parents and I decided to take a break over coffee, latte for me and cappacino for my parents and of course a lovely lemon tart to go with it. The lemon tart was zesty with a touch for sweetness and crumbly pastry - surprisingly balanced lemon tart and the coffee, wasn't burnt and wasn't too milky and was decently made.

Lucky for me, the only thing left to buy for the house is a vacuum and perhaps more decorating stuff, which I can get anytime.

Pitter patter pitter patter.. Rain is falling down.. Splashing all around..

I love the sound of rain... Pitter patter pitter patter against my windowpanes.

It's so soothing, refreshing and cozy.

Listening to it before you drift off to dreams is pure magic.. Wish there was nights like this all the time.

See by Chloe

Oh what a steal!....

A lovely See by Chloe 3 buckle leather Carmel bootie At $290.00!

It's so versatile, gorgeous and most importantly comfortable!

I can pair them with my super skinny Lee jeans, some beautiful knits and dresses and stockings.

Here just a few examples of what I can wear them with..

Coffee on rainy days

Nothing is more charming and alludes warmness than exposed walls tight corners with black leather sofas. It screams New York!

That's what Brew-Ha in subiaco is. Oozing with coolness and yet still warm.

It's especially good to just sit in the corner leather sofa drinking a flat white and eating this perfectly balance of sweet and tangy (and not too over-powering) passionfruit tart and catching up with an old friend, whilst outside it's pelting down with rain.

The cherry on the cake would have to be that you also just finished yet another hell-ish Saturday shift on one of the busiest wards ever!

Life's great!