Rubberduck at Plaza Damas: Restaurant Review

The two women who run Rubberduck are no quacks – Kat & Lin, bolstered by a hard-working crew, have launched a new alfresco cafe that could float close to the top of Plaza Damas’ best bets for freshly baked cakes & fragrantly brewed coffee.

This open space might suffer from scarce seating, but on a weekend afternoon, it’s a cool spot for watching the world walk by, with families on Saturday strolls staring curiously into Rubberduck’s kitchen & sniffing out the scent of croissants & lemon tarts.

Quiches

If you spy quiches on the counter, snatch a slice; texturally terrific, warm & fluffy, made tastier with sriracha sauce & spicy aioli.

Madeleines

Madeleines that might have made Proust shudder in remembrance (RM3 each); we’re not sure where Kat & Lin sprang from, though they seem to be long-time friends who enjoy an effortless rapport with each other & their customers. Kat might also be a daughter of the man who founded Don’s Warong, just across the corridor from Rubberduck.

Beetroot Chocolate Cake and Mango and Chia Seed Pudding

Everything we tasted here bore the hallmarks of experience & expertise, from the beetroot chocolate cake – RM10; rich but never cloying – to the mango & chia seed pudding – RM13; mellow & not too tangy, creamy without the curse of stodginess.

Other Intriguing Temptations

Other intriguing temptations line the showcase: pistachio cakes (RM8), luscious-looking carrot cakes (RM9), macarons (RM5), plus some panna cotta with strawberry jelly & crumble (RM10) that can be paired with, say, chamomile tea or sparkling sodas.

Coffee

Of course, there’s coffee, vibrantly robust (RM10 for cafe lattes, piccolos, cappuccinos & flat whites). If you’re tempted to ask Kat & Lin why they chose the name ‘Rubberduck,’ it turns out there’s no long story behind it. They simply thought of the name & thought it was cute. We like it too.