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.
If you spy frittatas on the counter, snatch a slice; texturally terrific, warm & fluffy, made tastier with sriracha sauce & spicy aioli.
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.
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 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.
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.
Rubber Duck @ Plaza Damas
K-06, Plaza Damas, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Kuala Lumpur. Above Hartamas Shopping Centre.
Currently open 10am-5pm, but will open earlier in the morning eventually. Closed Mondays. Tel: 03-6206-1832
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