RUBATO Restaurant @ Greenwood Avenue - A Taste Of Italy In The Neighbourhood Since 2009

Nestled in the quaint Greenwood Avenue neighbourhood is RUBATO, an Italian restaurant that has found its place since 2009. It prides itself on offering its selection of Italian food in small batches, only roasting and baking upon order. The selection is extensive, from All Day Breakfast to classic Italian starters and mains, various grilled meats, and homemade desserts.

Their Greenwood outlet has both indoor and outdoor seating, exuding a more casual, family-friendly vibe. Other establishments under them are RUBATO STEAKHOUSE @ Teck Lim Road, FESTIVO @ Mr Gallop and the soon-to-open RUBATO ITALIAN & ASIAN @ SAF Yacht Club.

Michelin Quality Burrata 4.2/5

For our first starter, we had the Michelin Quality Burrata ($62), which had a huge ball of fresh burrata sitting in the middle of the plate on rocket leaves. It was dressed in olive oil and paired with aged parma ham, fresh and semi-sundried tomatoes.

There were only 2 of us, but we polished this off. The lightly savoury burrata was incredibly creamy and perfectly matched the sweet semi-sundried tomatoes. I A dish that is good for sharing. I recommend getting some warm toasted bread to go with this!

A Gift from the Angels 4.5/5

A Gift from the Angels (from $68) was a starter we noticed every table ordered. It features chilled angel hair pasta tossed in premium white truffle oil, topped with Hokkaido scallop sashimi, kombu, and 5g of Hokkaido Bafun Uni hidden under a generous shave of truffles.

We could see the reason for its popularity, as the pasta was al dente with a lingering truffle fragrance that didn't overpower. You can opt to add another 80g portion of uni for $80. The dish is on the pricier end, but the portion was quite substantial for group sharing.

RUBATO Mixed Grilled Platter 3.8/5

We had the RUBATO Mixed Grilled Platter ($288) served to sizzling hot for mains. Alongside shaved truffles and a medley of colourful vegetables, there was a grilled rack of lamb, chicken and pork chop. The vegetables were fresh and sweet. Our favourite was the lamb which was done tender and without any gameness. The chicken and pork chop, however, were a little too tough for our liking.

Cherry Flambé 3.8/5

Our warm and friendly servers enthusiastically introduced us to one of their new boozy desserts, the Cherry Flambé. It was quite an experience watching our servers prepare this right next to our table, lighting the cherries on fire with a pour of brandy into the pan before plating it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. While we enjoyed the mix of sweet and alcoholic notes here, I wish more texture had been added, and a better quality vanilla ice cream was used.

Apart from the a la carte menu, there are a few special events to look out for at RUBATO @ Greenwood. Ladies Night runs every Wednesday from 5pm to 10.30pm, and offers diners 1-for-1 house pour wines and prosecco.

The exciting Everyday Brunch Buffet costs $68 (up to $108) per pax from 11am to 4pm daily. The menu looks exciting with fresh Canadian oysters, a range of hand-stretched pizzas and pasta, charcoal-grilled Iberico pork and a rack of lamb, and many more. You can even opt for free-flow champagne for 1.5 hours at an additional $78.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


RUBATO Restaurant
12 Greenwood Ave
Singapore 289204
Tel: +65 94248258
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Nearest MRT: Tan Kah Kee (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 2am

Direction:
1) Alight at Tan Kah Kee MRT station. Take Exit A. Use the overhead bridge to Exit B. Walk straight to Hillcrest Road. Turn right onto Hillcrest Road. Walk down Hillcrest Road and make a left into Greenwood Avenue. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Trattoria La Vita @ North Canal Road - Homely Italian Cuisine with Japanese Flair

Located just a simple short walk away from Clarke Quay MRT Station, Trattoria La Vita at North Canal Road is a homely Japanese-run Italian restaurant. I learnt that the kitchen is also helmed by a Japanese chef, who was trained in Italy for 3 years. On the menu, you will find not just Italian flavours, but also dishes imbued with a touch of Japanese flair.

Salmon Gazpacho with Cucumber & Grapefruit 4.2/5

Tagliatelle Carbonara with Button Mushroom 3.8/5

Assortment of Desserts 3/5

If you are looking for a good value and quality executive lunch, do try its 3-course Lunch Set, nett priced at $25. A top-up of $5 will get you a glass of house red or white wine. The selections of appetisers and mains are above average I would say. Instead of the usual soups or salads, one of the choices available for starters is Salmon Gazpacho with Cucumber & Grapefruit. Citrusy and extremely piquant, it wowed me with its textural variations given by the different ingredients. For Main, I had Tagliatelle Carbonara with Button Mushroom that was quite delectable as well. The set lunch comes with a serving of Assortment of Desserts, which I was served with a portion of Tiramisu and Cannoli.

Pear Salad with Parma Ham & Homemade Ricotta 4.5/5

Parma Prosciutto with Melon (tasting portion) 4.5/5

Coming down to its ala carte menu, for starters, we had Pear Salad with Parma Ham & Homemade Ricotta ($16.90) and Parma Prosciutto with Melon ($24.90). The Pear Salad is served with a Raspberry Vinaigrette. Its flavour paired really well with the milky sweet ricotta, almost like the combination of berry and cream, and its acidity along with the sweet pears cut the richness of the Parma Ham. Even though Parma Prosciutto with Melon is a classic pairing, but over here, it also shines in terms of its presentation and the quality of ingredients used.

Spaghetti Hokkaido Scallop with Myogo Tobiko Wasabi 3/5

Tagliollini Scampi with Cherry Tomatoes 3.8/5

Under Pasta, there are 3 different categories - Japanese Taste, Italian Classic and Special Seafood. Japanese Taste Spaghetti Hokkaido Scallop with Myoga Tobiko Wasabi ($27.90) is quite unique with the addition of Myoga, Japanese Ginger flower. Because of its distinct flavours, it gave the pasta much of its characters. There were julienned Oba leaves inside as well, which boosted that herbaceous flavour. However, the scallops didn't quite elevate the dish as much as we would like them to. As for Seafood pasta, we had Tagliollini Scampi with Cherry Tomatoes ($27.90), I love how succulent the scampi were, as well as the combination of fresh basil and tart-sweet Cherry Tomato.

Pizza Bismarck 4.5/5

The dish that won our hearts is this Pizza Bismarck ($13.90). Made with Italian flour, the crust, despite it being thin and crispy, was flavorful even on its own. Loaded with chunky pork bacon, asparagus, and sweet onion slices, there was satisfaction in every bite. The egg sitting in the middle had its white set, but its yolk spread and mingled with the cheese and tomato sauce, making the pizza extra scrumptious.

Tenderloin 4/5

La Vita also prides itself on its Josper Grill steaks, which includes John Stone dry-aged beef. We went for Tenderloin (200g $59.90), served with grilled vegetables and potatoes. Ribeye is available as well if you prefer a stronger beefy flavour.

Assorted Berries Tart with Pistachio Gelato 2.5/5

Creme Brulee 3/5

Great mains but the desserts here are all just alright. If you do need one, then go for Crème Brulee ($13.90). Mine was a little eggy, but it came with a nice tuile which went well with it. As for the Assorted Berries Tart with Pistachio Gelato ($16.90), the crust was underbaked, and the custard base was thick and cloying.

Trattoria La Vita has been rolling out quite a few promotions lately, including Ladies' Night every Wednesday from 6pm to 8pm. For any main dish purchased, there will be a complimentary free-flow sparkling wine and La Vito Keto Salad!

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Trattoria La Vita
35 North Canal Road
#01-01
Singapore 059291
Tel: +65 62261182
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Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards the junction of North Canal Road and South Bridge Road. Cross the junction and continue on North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses along North Canal Road. Look out for an alley and turn left into it. Look for the entrance to the building and take lift to level 2. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk towards North Canal Road. Continue on North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses along North Canal Road. Look out for an alley and turn right into it. Look for the entrance to the building and take lift to level 2. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Porta @ Park Hotel Clarke Quay - Plant-based Green Monday Menu

Porta at Park Hotel Clarke Quay goes green with a plant-based Green Monday menu in partnership with Green Monday, as part of its initiatives to support and raise awareness on sustainable future through inspiring diners on the benefits of green diets. A social enterprise group established in Hong Kong in 2012, Green Monday promotes and enables green, healthy and sustainable living to raise awareness and inspire public on the benefits of green diets, nurturing the love towards our planet, and the pursuit of harmony in life. On the Green Monday menu are 10 dishes ranging from vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, and nut-free, including plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, featuring plant-based produce from Beyond Meat, Heura, as well as plant-based cheese and dairy from Daiya Foods.

Burratina 4/5

Going green also means allowing simple flavours to shine, and their subtleties always leave you wanting for more. Burratina ($22) is one such dishes, where the delicate, pillowy burrata is enlivened with savoury, peppery and sharp basil pesto shio kombu, balanced with sweet Roma tomatoes.

Beyond Burger 3/5

Beyond Burger ($29) features both the plant-based alternatives Beyond patty and Daiya cheese, bind together with housemade ketchup and mayonnaise, caramelised onions in a brioche bun. The smokey, rich ketchup and that savoury-sweet caramelised onions are to die for. However, I personally find a messy burger more fulfilling, and Beyond Burger falls short of that factor.

Orecchiette Pasta 3.8/5

Orecchiette Pasta ($24), on the other hand, is an ultimate comforting dish that will win you over by its warm and creamy aroma effusing from the housemade cream sauce. The sauce is made using cream, milk, garlic, onion, bay leaf, infused with the earthiness of wild mushrooms. Sliced and tossed in the Beyond sausage, passed off easily as the real thing with their garlicky flavour and meaty texture.

Parma Ham 3/5

Porta's all-day dining menu sees new creations as well, starting with Parma Ham ($16). Dressed with tangy balsamic vinegar and creamy Thai lime aioli, both elements cut the richness of the meat, and the latter also helped to harmonise the contrasting flavours of the savoury meat and the sweet compressed watermelon cubes.

Venus Clams Capellini 3.5/5

For the main course, a crowd-pleaser will be the Venus Clams Capellini ($24). It showcases Indonesian clams prepared in clam stock with shio kombu, spiked with heat from chilli padi and an accentuated umaminess from a handful crisp sakura ebi.

Black Cod 4/5

Adopting an earthy green-brown palette, I love the execution of the Black Cod ($29). An emerald green spinach dashi purée backdropped its ivory white self, which is further contrasted with a blanket of crushed pistachio and puffed wild rice that textured its buttery flesh.

Gourmet Pork Sausage Roll 2.8/5

Gourmet Pork Sausage Roll ($21) is the latest brunch item, featuring a gourmet pork sausage roll with jalapeno salsa. The sausage was juicy, but the salsa lacked both the fiery and kick. Similarly to Beyond Burger, it was a brunch item that left me feeling a little empty.

Kopi "O" 4/5

Coffee lovers will appreciate the bitter-sweetness in the new dessert creation - Kopi "O" ($12), a 'parfait' in a traditional coffee cup made with housemade dark chocolate coffee sponge, coffee crumbles, coffee jelly, milk sauce, and espresso ice cream, completed with butter sugar toast on the side.

Meyer Lemon Trifle 4/5

If you are a fan of lemon tart, this Meyer Lemon Trifle will be right up on your alley with a tangy concoction of Victorian sponge and housemade lemon curd. I actually like it even better with the thyme-infused whipped cream, which is lighter and less cloying than meringue.

Words and photos by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Porta Fine Food & Import Company
Park Hotel Clarke Quay
1 Unity Street
Singapore 237983
Tel: +65 65938888
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Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight At Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to junction of River Valley Road and Clemenceau Ave. Cross the road and turn left onto Clemenceau Ave. Walk down Clemenceau Ave. Turn right onto Unity Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to the end UE Square Shopping Mall. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]