Baby Got Back

When Sis asked me to have lunch at Ripley’s, I thought it was some sort of Alien-themed restaurant. I am a fan of Alien, the movies (except Alien Resurrection which was so lame) but I am wary of themed-restaurants. Turns out she was just lazy at enunciating. She had read a recent review of Rib Lee's in one of the local magazine. Rib Lee’s is a family-run restaurant that adds emphasis on personalised service and pork specialities. Located above a bank in one of the corner lots of Sri Hartamas, it is a unassuming sort of place. There decor has a steakhouse feel with some personal touches which reminds me of visiting someone’s home for the first time.

It had rained in the morning and the air was still cool and moist. Parking is a real problem at this place. We managed to park at a spot which was reserved for an office around the area. The parking attendant reassured us that the car would be in pristine condition when we got back. It was quiet at RibLee's. We were served by the owners of the place. He even offered to make me a fresh iced lemon tea after he told me that the one they serve is from a packet mix. This little touch was much appreciated. We ordered grilled bacon rolls, grilled baby back ribs and roasted pork belly with pesto.

While the grilled bacon rolls were nowhere as nice as the ones in Kuching, I reckon they would taste really good with cold beer. These were slightly sinewy and I did not like the bits of celery in it. The pork ribs was flavourful and tender. I loved the marinade they use. Its a little like barbecue but very peppery at the same time. The one we enjoyed least was the pork belly funnily enough. I mean, com'on, its pork belly! Whats not to love?! I know the belly part has a lot of fat but this one was just one big heart attack waiting to happen. I think you can see from the photo below that most of it was just fat. Furthermore, the skin wasn't crispy. The pesto was somewhat odd and the dish just didn't come together as it should've. On the up side, the truffle-scented mash potato was quite divine. Its a nice little neighbourhood restaurant but seeing that I don't live in the vicinity, I doubt I will be back again anytime soon.