Rubato: Not such a great find

by Evelyn Chen
inSing.com - 91 days 16 mins ago

Chargrilled squid

We have a curious admiration for new restaurants tucked deep in the bowels of the city’s suburbs. We were, therefore, raring to checkout Rubato when we learnt of its debut in a shop house embedded in the Jalan Pemimpin industrial estate.

At first glance, Rubato looked the trattoria part with its white washed space overhung with bird cage-like lamps and a rear courtyard surrounded by lush potted plants. But cruel reality swiftly set in when, instead of being pampered by a red-blooded Italian host, we were served by a crew of imported talents. Don’t get us wrong, we have nothing against foreign talents from Philippines or, for that matter, India; but the glaring lack of staff training in things that matter to table service cannot be condoned.

So when our question about the much hyped-up executive chef, apparently a former staff of Raffles Hotel, drew a pregnant pause, we knew we were not in good hands.


Rubato's interior		Porcini mushrooms tagliatelle

Thankfully, our starter of chargrilled squid on a bed of mesclun leaves ($28) came to the rescue with lobes of voluptuous flesh that was smoky as it was succulent. The squid’s hefty price tag, however, compromised our budget and we swiftly swooped down on the stomach filling pastas, apparently Rubato’s pride and joy.

Yes, Rubato’s fettucini alfredo tossed with jumbo tiger prawns ($19.80) hit the sweet spot perfectly with al dente pasta enrobed in an addictive butter and blue cheese-enriched cream sauce. The ensuing tagliatelle with hunks of porcini mushrooms ($28) and seafood linguini baked in parchment paper ($26.80) were, however, pedestrian.

Fettucini alfredo

Much to our chagrin, our main course of wood fire-roasted pork belly with shitake mushrooms ($25.80) arrived completely buried in globules of belly fats.

Just when we thought that our worst nightmare was over, the rum-laced chocolate fondant ($14.80) arrived sitting pretty alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a frenzy of scuttering ants.

Now that we have quenched our curiosity for this out-of-the-way Italian joint, suffice to say that our reservations are going back to our time-tested trattoria haunt.