been back a numerous of times and always good. i love the green detail on the window. gives it such a vibe and remind me of my hometown. always have to order the lava egg yolk french toast when i come. the lava ooze is satisfying everytime. also that egg yolk (?) crumble is chefs kiss. i'll be honest -- the beef brisket cheurng fun was a bit underseasoned. wish they had chili oil also, they stopped making all bolo bao sandwiches and rice plates close to closing time so go early if you want to try those. read more

Rubato - Lava Egg Yolk HK French Toast finished Beef Brisket Cheung Fun - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

Delicious and unassuming cafe-restaurant in Quincy serving drive worthy HK cuisine! We came on a Sunday around 10:30 (opens at 10AM Sun i believe) and it was already packed. Menu is largely displayed on their wall and anything out of stock is crossed off for convenience. We ordered a spread - S&P chicken plate, fried chicken bolo bao, beef brisket cheung fun, char sui bao, HK milk tea and an iced lemon tea. Everything was superb, our favorites being the S&P chicken and the drinks! The food is admittedly pricey but the flavors are worth the occasional splurge. Will have to try the lava yolk bao or french toast soon! Service is super quick, not much seating but the vibes are nice if you get to eat indoors + it's easy to do takeout too! read more

Rubato - Salt and Pepper Chicken Plate, Fried Chicken Bolo, Beef Brisket Cheung Fun, Lemon Ice Tea, Cold HK Milk Tea - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

Ordered the following along with my review: Hot milk tea - it does taste like authentic Hong Kong style but less strong Lava egg yolk bun - excellent with runny salty egg yolk inside, much better than some of the dim sum restaurants', but be careful when eating it because it gets messy Ji cheung fun - quite smooth and thin, sesame sauce is very flavorful Curry fishball - not bad but 4/$5 seems a little bit pricy read more

Rubato - Lava egg yolk bao 流沙包 - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

Came here on a Saturday at around noon and it was PACKED. I waited 45 mins in line before placing my order. Here's what I believe is worth the wait from here: - HK french toast with lava egg yolk: this blew me away. So good. Definitely the best HK french toast in the greater Boston area. - Plain bolo bao: my sister and I frequently get this in Boston's Chinatown but we agreed that the Rubato one was among the best we've had. I also tried the bbq pork bao, the fried chicken bolo bao, and the cheung fun. They were all solid choices as well but weren't my favorite compared to their French toast. Be sure to go here right as it opens or during off peak times! read more

As someone who tries to find the best local fried chicken sandwiches wherever I go, I can confidently say Rubato's fried chicken bolo is now my absolutely favorite local chicken sandwich. The chicken is flavorful, tender, crunchy, and crisp. The coleslaw-topping has good crunch and flavor but is not overpowering. And the bolo bao (pineapple bun) that holds everything together??? -- Y'ALL. Run, don't walk. I haven't tried other menu items yet from Rubato, but mark my words, I will be back soon. (The photo is greenish because of the light filtered through the restaurant blinds) read more

Rubato - Fried chicken bolo - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

I grew up stopping by Contempo Bakery regularly to grab me and my dad some churng fun so it is so great to see the owner's son and his wife take over the spot. It holds so many memories since my dad has passed away. There's tons of Cantonese food all over the Boston and the surrounding surburbs but the HK style cafe has been missing. I am Cantonese and love this style of food and have been sad to see this lacking in the area.... so Rubato made me even more excited for this reason. I have only stopped by once but the food was delectable. Portions may seem small and prices may seem high.. but the quality is amazing and you can't find this kind of food as I mentioned. Don't let the quantity hold you back. - Curry fishballs were out of this world. So flavorful and umami... I could eat seven of these orders at once. There are only four whole fishballs but it is absolutely worth the price. I licked every drop of sauce. - Brisket churng fun (rice rolls) are soooo fresh. Get the scallion, cilantro, and Sriracha. Again, small portion but so fulfilling. The brisket is not all fat or lean beef - just the right amount of each for me. - Butter bolo is SO good. I didn't even think I liked bolo baos all that much. A thicker bolo cut horizontally with a fat slab of butter tucked in. - The iced HK style milk tea and the yuen yeung both lacked sweetness (despite asking for sweet) but tasted just like home. Easy fix adding sugar if needed. My family's house is dangerously close to Rubato... I will absolutely be a regular. So grateful to have this new addition in town. I wish I could've ordered this for my dad, he would've been so excited to try their sampan congee. read more

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I have been following their story on Instagram and been dying to eat here since they opened. All the hype you have been hearing and seeing (like them getting sold out every single day) is TRUE and so well deserved. The food is amazing!! Everything from the buns to the sauces are made in house and you can taste that in every bite. The service was great. In spite of the long lines, the orders were coming in fast and the cashier was super nice and helpful and so were the other staff members. All the dishes are appropriately priced IMO. Here is a quick run down of what we ordered: *Fried Chicken Bolo Bao: Perfectly crispy and juicy chicken, Tangy slaw, delicious sauce and the most perfect Bolo Bao = match made in heaven. The way they cooked the chicken is no less than magic. It was crispy and fried yet felt light and every bite with the pillowy light bun made our 50 minute drive to the restaurant worth it! *Butter Bolo: So the bolo bao paired perfectly with the chicken, but it is so good that it deserves to be eaten just with butter. These buns are light, soft, and airy, with an extra crispy, buttery, and sugary crust. Still drooling just thinking about them and I have a feeling I am going to dream about them too!! *Cucumber Salad: crunchy cucumber with this perfectly spicy dressing that was made in sesame oil. Was a perfect and refreshing side to the other buttery fried dishes ;) *Lava Egg Yolk French Toast: My husband is a french toast snob and he said this is one of the best french toasts he has had in a very long time. It ticked off all his must haves- crispy on the outside, ooey gooey on the inside, should have enough flavor and shouldn't need any additional sweetener. PERFECTO!! The best part is in spite of having such a successful opening, the entire team here at Rubato is humble and very open to their customers suggestions. They are kind, generous and go out of their way to make sure the customer is well taken care of. And this is such a big sign of a successful business. These qualities along with some kick-ass food is going to take the team to new heights of success. Husband and I drove about 50'ish minutes to eat here and you better believe, we are doing it again next weekend. read more

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Awesome first trip here and not the last. Staff was as good as the food was. The chef/owner was there and was friendly and engaging. We had the congee, fried chicken bao and the rice rolls and everything was great. A must try. read more

When I first heard of Rubato opening in Quincy, I thought it would become my new go-to. There aren't many HK cafes around so I was really excited that a new spot was opening. As many others may have mentioned, the price is definitely what stuck out to me first. HK cafes are typically known to be very affordable and cheap while providing quality home-y comfort meals. Rubato is a more hip and modern take on a classic HK cafe. And with that, comes higher prices (understandably!) I think if the portions were slightly larger, it would help justify the price of the food. I had spent around $85 for 4 people and we were all left still feeling hungry. The quality of the food is definitely there. You can tell the ingredients are fresh and clean but when considering all factors (cost, portion, taste), it felt like a very pricey average meal. I loved the concept of the bolo bao chicken sandwich and it tasted great but it was so tiny for the price. The rice rolls were okay, similar situation where the beef brisket was delicious but it was almost $10 and came with 3 small pieces of beef. Sadly, I felt the same for all the other food items I tried. I think the one item that I would come back for is the lava egg yolk french toast. I thought this dish was unique, absolutely delicious, and worth the price. It was a great take on classic HK flavors. read more

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I'm from HK and was looking for some comfort fast food. The steamed BBQ pork buns, curry fish balls, and rice noodles were authentic and decent. But I really just can't get over how over-priced the entire menu is! Maybe they don't have enough competition in Quincy or South Boston? Sticker shocked so badly that I won't be going back anytime soon. read more

Tried a couple of items from the menu and they were yummy. I'm glad there's a HK style foods in Quincy. The rice rolls with the sauces were excellent. Also tried the Salty Egg Lava French Toast, sooo yummy but on the sweet side. I can do without the condensed milk on the French toast. The place is nice and clean. Seating are along the window counter. There's one staff and she took my to-go order. She was friendly. I'll be back to try other items for sure. read more

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I've been meaning to try this place out ever since they opened. Walking in at almost noon the place was packed with people. The people working there are very friendly while you watch them work to fulfill orders. It took us about 10-15 minutes to wait for my order Drinks: 2/5 I ordered a hot and cold ying yang, a hot soybean drink. Unfortunately, all the drinks tasted a bit watered down and quite bland. Spam bolo bao: 5/5 I would say this was probably one of my favorite things out of all that I ordered. The bolo bao was fresh and soft and blended well with the egg and spam. Cha siu & lava baos: 3/5 these were OK, but I felt that the dough part felt a bit denser than what I'm used to. Sampan congee: 3/5 good flavor, but small portion and lacked ingredients despite all the toppings. Curry fishball churng fun: 4/5 churng fun roll was soft and had great texture. Curry fishball was spicy and had good flavor. I just wish the order came with more fishballs instead of only 4. read more

Rubato - Spam egg and cheese bolo bao, plain bolo bao, cha siu bap, lava bao, sampan congee, curry fishball rice roll - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

I just left this place 10 minutes ago and had to write a review. Im visiting Boston and had this on my list: and WOW it did not disappoint. Fried chicken bao bolo was so juicy, flavorful and that sauce is to die for. Buns are so soft but hold together. The service was quick and friendly-an absolute must try for anyone! read more

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Tried this new restaurant in Quincy for lunch takeout and I am not joking when I say the fried chicken sandwich was the best I've ever had. The bread was a mix of cornbread/biscuit/bread and was so soft and moist. The sauce went perfectly with the toppings. We also got the salt and pepper chicken and it was cooked perfectly. It only came with rice so there's not much to the meal but it was extremely tasty. The inside was very casual and gives off more of a takeout vibe. read more

I lived in Hong Kong for over 10 years and miss the local diner experience with the milk tea, French toast and baos. Rubato succeeds in making one of the best HK style milk teas anywhere and elevates the humble bolo bao. There are lines out the door on weekends but if you get there early you may be able to snag a seat. And if you're not calories shy , the fried chicken bao is a delicious treat. read more

While it may appear that this place has a 'limited' number of items on the menu, it definitely goes to show that it has confidence in the food they sell. I'd say its 'street food' done well (by US standards) - all the items we ordered were very tasty and unique on it's own. My recommendation is to pick one item from each category as a starting point. If I had something to pick 'on the go', I'd opt for the Spam Bolo and the Lava Egg yolk French toast. You'd probably have to order out so opt to not mix your sides together so that they won't get soggy when you get back. read more

I was so looking forward to try Rubato because of all the reviews. Finally tried on Sunday and the food I bought was OKAY. Service was friendly and it is definitely not a dine-in place. I did enjoy the lava egg yolk French toast even though it was a little sweet for my taste. I also like the curry fishballs. But for the baos, I was a disappointed. The bao fillings are generous and tasty but unfortunately the bao wrapper was ok. It was the same for the bolo baos. The yuen yeung was disappointing. Not sure if it is really HK style. The milk flavor is over powering. I would like to go back to try other items on the menu. read more

Went here for the first time, and had an absolutely delicious meal! The pork and century egg congee was a perfect gateway meal for someone like me who hasn't tasted century egg before; very subtle, complimentary flavors and a delightful warm meal on a cold day. The cha siu bao was fluffy and savory, I highly recommend it! The lava egg French toast is sweet and salty, very indulgent and extremely delicious. I also got to try the fried chicken: super crispy and juicy. The cold milk tea was a refreshing accompaniment to everything, if you're looking to try something other than coffee. And if you, like me, don't see the fuss about soy milk in general, prepare to have your mine blown by the housemade soy milk here. Warm, nutty, and lightly sweet - it's a game-changer! If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and go to Rubato. I'll definitely be back! read more

Rubato - Lava egg French toast - half-eaten because I couldn't wait - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

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I love little spots like this: no frills, good food, great prices, quaint! The food here definitely took me back to my childhood: the chueng fun, the baos, the congee, and that HK style toast! The place is small, not many seats but great with a friend or two for a quick bite. You just order at the front and they call your number when the food is ready. Super friendly staff and quick service but the food is so fresh! Between the two of us, we got one pork (cha sui) bao, a bowl of the congee with century egg (got all the toppings), the brisket cheung fun, the crispy chicken bolo bao (this is a modern twist with the fried chicken), egg yolk HK french toast, and unsweetened homemade soy milk. Everything was delicious! The cheung fun texture, fresh and soft and the brisket cooked so well, it fell apart! The fried chicken bolo bao was delicious, the chicken, tender and juicy (yes, they used thighs, of course). One of my fave was the lava egg yolk HK french toast - it oozed with deliciousness (why can't I share a video - I caught the ooze on camera)! I am not much of a sweet tooth but I will eat a whole one of that toast any day - what diet? After that satisfying lunch, we ordered two more cheung fun (the hoisin and sesame sauce and curry fish balls - both SO GOOD TOO) and some baos. Don't worry, I will be back even though we pretty much ate through the whole menu already : read more

Rubato - The spread - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

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This is a very busy small business shop. I was lucky I ordered in advance as there was a long line there. There isnt really any seating/tables, so i suggest taking to go. The HK Milk Tea was deliciously authentic, I finished it before I even got home. The pork chop rice was very good, but i wouldnt recommend the fried chicken bolo bao. That was only ok. This is the best(only?) legit HK style cafe in Boston for sure. Wish they had Tong Sum Fun too! (2nd Photo taken in my home not restaurant) read more

Rubato - HK Style Baked Porkchop Rice Plate - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

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Egg York bun is the best! We definitely come back for fried dough. It was Sold out this time. read more

My favorite lunch spot in Quincy! The bao buns are great and fresh. Chicken bolo is also incredible. Must try if in Quincy! read more

Rubato - Fried Chicken Bolo and Bao Bun - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

Adding another great experience here. Tried their lava yolk French toast. Very decadent. Think of it as a dessert version of breakfast French toast. Creamy condensed milk and crispy flakes make a great blend here. And of course the silky lava egg yolk center! read more

Rubato - Lava Yolk HK French Toast - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

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Can't rate this more or less for stars since I didn't get to dine here, so I'll keep it in the middle If you have a peanut allergy, there is a lot of cross contamination unfortunately. Also there is no public restroom so if you made a long trek, good luck. read more

The congee, chicken bolo, fried chicken rice plate, milk tea were all so delicious. The molten lava French toast was awesome as well but suuuper rich and sweet - be warned, you'll need to share unless you need a sugar rush. If I lived closer I'd def come often for a quick bite or lunch. Not much seating so be prepared to takeout or wait a bit for a seat. Food takes a long while too so maybe don't come if you're in a rush. Solid place though. read more

Super friendly people and delicious food and drinks! When asked for sugar level on the milk tea, I asked for "Asian sweet" aka not too sweet, and she DELIVERED! I highly recommend the curry fishball cheung fun with all the extra sauces and toppings, the fried chicken bolo bao, and peanut butter French toast. All solid choices! Can't wait to go back and try other items on the menu! read more

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The food was delicious and unique. The ambience is so special and really feels like an asian night market vibe. Love this place.

I found this place out through bon appetite and was amped they deliver to Boston. Both noodle dishes (fish curry and beef brisket) were exceptional. Fish curry was spicy, but not overly so. Cherry on top was the chicken sandwich. Amazing . read more

100% worthy of the praise it's getting. With everyone doing there version a fried chicken sandwich this days..to actually find one that stands out is a win in itself. 10/10. read more

I can't stop suggesting this gem of a place! Everything is delicious! They've done such a great job being innovative but staying true to their roots. They also come out with weekly specials which keeps me coming back. It's definitely getting busier, so go now while you can! read more

We got takeout fried chicken bolo, pork + century egg congee and lava egg york bao. The chicken was very crispy, flavorful and juicy. Staffs were very welcoming. Highly recommended this spot for lunch! read more

Rubato - Fried chicken bolo - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

if you like chicken sandwiches- GO HERE best chicken sandwich i've ever had in my life, i recommend this place to everyone i encounter- prices are great - bao buns are delicious - pulled pork is fantastic- can't stop thinking about the chicken sandwich and the bun is on, it is almost a sweet cake so good i personally get the spicy one but it is spicy so make sure you can handle it 5/5 starts LOVE IT HERE read more

Amazing! I first went with my friend and have gotten many takeout since. This place has some of the best cheung fun in MA! read more

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Delicious Cantonese food in the heart of Quincy. I grew up eating a lot of these foods and the food and ambiance are as authentic as it gets. The only thing that might not be "authentic to its roots" is the service cause it's exemplary! (If you know anything about food service culture in Asia, sometimes the service can be a bit rough around the edges - but not this place!) Thank you and would definitely come back when I'm in town. read more

Rubato - Dining area - Hong Kong Style Cafe Near Me - Quincy, Massachusetts

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Went back twice since posting my last review. I must say, Rubato again blew me away. It's already clear to anyone who read my last review how I feel about the fried chicken sandwich: it's incredible. Today, the piece of chicken was massive, crispy, and delicious. I wanted to highlight a few more things I tried to give some more info for those wondering about what to order. The spam bolo bao. My friends, I was skeptical of the spam. But I am fully converted. The meat was salty, crispy, a perfect complement to the sweetness of the bao. solid egg. i'm a sucker for a well placed kraft single. as a breakfast sandwich, you really can't beat this. the first time i went back i wanted to try the char siu bao, which i had missed the last time. it did not disappoint. it was the best char siu bao i've ever had, hands down. a lot of dim sum places do the meat too sweet and red, but rubato's does not overdo the sweetness allowing you to really savor the pork. today i went back for that pork bao. i was itchin for it. when they told me that they only had the vegetable ones left, i wasn't thrilled. i got a couple of the veggie ones to try, not expecting much. boy was i wrong. the sechuan vegetable bao is really in a class of its own. really good flavor, the veggies are perfectly cooked in the bao. the smoked tofu has a great firm texture. i challenge anyone who doesn't think a vegetarian bao could find a place in their hearts to try this one. read more

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I've made it into Rubato twice, once on a weekday morning and once on a weekend morning. Word of mouth is traveling fast so they do sell out - get there on the earlier side. Both times I ordered out the counter and ate inside. Staff was friendly and the turnaround time for food was quick though they were busy. The first time I ordered one of their congee dishes and a hot HK milk tea and the second time a chicken bolo nap and iced milk tea. Visit 1 - The congee was flavorful and filling. My only gripe was the milk tea could've been hotter so you should be clear if you like your tea hotter. Visit 2 - The chicken bolo bao is fire. Whatever you've heard, the rumors are true. I am from the Deep South where fried chicken is a competitive pastime. This is the best fried chicken sandwich/biscuit I have had since moving to New England 10 years ago - PERIOD. The end. I don't know what more information you need, but go order one. (Also the iced milk tea was good - not too sweet and they will customize the sugar level for you.) I am sure they will work out the kinks over time with selling out before closing and offering delivery orders soon. They just opened - I am choosing to give them some grace as they navigate the outpouring of love for the neighborhood. Between Rubato and Chaji opening this summer, I am deeply concerned about my future waist line, but my tummy is happy. read more

I want to start off saying that I love the food here ever since it was still Contempo Bakery. The food is still great now that it is Rubato. However, I don't appreciate the unfriendly welcome, aggressiveness, and attitude from one cashier. She usually wears an eye patch. I dont understand but every single time i stop by to get food, 10/10 times she is rude to me and is aggressive. Today was about utensils. I ordered on ubereats and apologized that i forgot to mention to add utensils. i asked if i could have utensils when i picked up. she gave me a big sigh, stomped over to check the receipt, pointed the receipt at me saying "well you didnt say you wanted it". i said sorry but she wouldnt have it and gave me attitude the whole time. customer experience was not great. I may have to reconsider where i get my breakfast from now on. read more

It took me a little while to get to Rubato, but I'm so glad I did. I'm addicted to the fried chicken boil bao. (I've had one a week since I first tried it!!!) It is just everything that is right in this world. I'm also a fan of the noodles, spicy cucumbers and Char sui bao. Rubato is unique, modern and delicious!! read more

This place is awesome! Salty egg yolk French toast was so creamy and delicious, the fried chicken bolo was juicy and super flavorful, the beef brisket rice roll was super fresh and the beef flavorful and tender. They didn't have any baos left when we got there (12:30pm on a holiday Sunday) so we are planning to arrive way earlier next time! They are closed Monday and Tuesdays, otherwise we'd be coming back tomorrow) read more

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I came here last Sunday around noon. The aesthetic inside is so cool, they did a great job with the ambiance / décor here. I ordered a fried chicken bolo bao and my boyfriend got a butter bolo bao, beef brisket ji cheung fun, and a hot milk tea. The fried chicken bolo bao was heavenly, super crispy chicken in a buttery soft bao. My boyfriend was very happy with his meal as well, but I think he wished he had gotten the chicken like me since it was beyond superb. It was super packed in the restaurant as Rubato has become very popular, and it would have taken a long time to wait for a table, so my only wish is that they had a bit more space for the many people who want to try Quincy's hottest new spot! read more