Spencer Williams, Contributor
Opening just over a year ago, this cool and peaceful restaurant is situated on Braemar Avenue. Having ventured there for lunch and dinner several times, I decided that it was high time I wrote about Rib Kage.
Although the original bar and grill on Constant Spring Road has been around for a longer time, this 'new-ish' one feels a little more classy and cosmopolitan. The former is fabulous for a casual night out of drinking beer and tucking into a delicious plate of baby back ribs (of course) with the boys, but the New Kingston venue has slightly more appeal to a wider audience.
However, it is not without its flaws. Invariably, I arrive a few minutes before my dining com-panions so that I can scope out the place and make notes. The waiters are always keen to pour water, even at the end when everyone is leaving, and hand out menus at every place setting before anyone else arrives, and they often stand the wine list upside down in the middle. Believe it or not, this has happened three times in my presence!
I find the atmosphere most pleasing, with soft jazz or soul music in the background, reminiscent of a quaint bed-and breakfast-hotel, or even someone's own home. The different size and colour square plates and the bamboo-filled vases adorning the walls, like art, give one the semblance of the owner's personal touch. The cynic in me could also suggest that it's a heck of a lot cheaper to decorate with these than with paintings or prints! Hmm, I wonder ... the walls are in desperate need of a paint job as well.
But of course, it's the food which always makes the last and lasting impression on me, or sometimes not!
Another round
Some of the appetisers are well worth another round (if you have room in your stomach, that is), like the smoked chicken on tortilla chips with small dollops of sour cream. I am not surprised, actually, because the meat is cooked in a barbecue sauce that keeps you wanting more. Isn't that Rib Kage's signature anyway? And don't we already know that they're pretty good on the grill? The grilled chicken salad just proves this to be so!
Other delights
Others, like the shrimp tempura with dipping sauce, are non-starters (sorry, I couldn't resist that one). Four meagre shrimps stuck on a wooden skewer, literally. I couldn't even scrape them off with a knife or fork. I found myself having to stick the whole thing down my throat to pry them into my mouth, hoping that no splinters got caught in the skin of its roof! Once I had accomplished this task, I was more than peeved at the rewards ... utterly tasteless and overcooked. The sauce did not help much either. I think it was supposed to be Thai fish sauce, or something similar, but the overriding waft of malt vinegar was insulting. Did I mention that no part of this was tempura? The chef needs to consult his or her recipe book because the last time I checked, a batter was involved!
The salads are fresh and filling, but do ask for balsamic vinegar and olive oil rather than settling for the store-bought dressing which is decisively sweet. The pastas are decent (operative word), especially the shrimp in creamy herb and garlic sauce which has been excellent every time I have ordered it. You see, they can cook decent shrimp after all.
If there is one side you must take, even when sitting at the bar for a drink, make sure it's the French fries: crispy and salty ... the two requirements which transform the boring potato into a hip item. Isn't that why fries are so popular? You see, Rib Kage is not just Jamaica's place for ribs!
The Rib Kage Bar & Grill, 12 Braemar Ave, Kingston 10
Tel. 978 6272 (delivery available).
Opening hours: Mondays-Thursdays 11:00 a.m.-10.30 p.m., Fridays-Saturdays 11:00 a.m.-11.30 p.m., Sundays: 1:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Look to spend: $490-$950 for a lunch special, $840-$2,050 for an entrée, $400 for dessert.
I decided that it was high time I wrote about Rib Kage.
Although the original bar and grill on Constant Spring Road has been around for a longer time, this 'new-ish' one (Braemar Avenue) feels a little more classy and cosmopolitan.
