[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]

At Rubirosa, the Black and White Tagliatelle ($16) in itself deserves a visit. The pasta is not a tangle of individual black and white noodles, but rather eye-catching noodles that are white on one side and a bold squid ink-black on the other. House-made, of course, and tossed in a loose, garlicky tomato sauce with plenty of thin-sliced pieces of garlic in each mouthful.

The noodles are cooked slightly past al dente, and squid, scallops, and mussels appear in abundance, all fresh and in quantities greater than what you'd expect from the price. Should you be inclined to make a feast out of lunch, dishes with squid are a highlight at Rubirosa, including the Calamari Fritti served with a chunky, spiced tomato sauce. Finish on one particularly boozy Tiramisu ($7) served in deep glass cups. It doesn't compare to Motorino's near-perfect tiramisu, but Rubirosa turns out a fine version—the silky thick mascarpone cream layered with sponge cake, thoroughly soaked in rum and espresso.

Rubirosa

235 Mulberry Street, New York NY 10012 (map)
212-965-0500

About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan writes A Passion For Food, where she chronicles her eats and travels adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.