Rack n’ Roll

CEBU, Philippines - There’s this huge misconception that great food should always come at equally great prices.  While it may be true on certain occassions, especially if you find yourself living in an urban jungle, the statement is more of fiction rather than fact in Dumaguete City, particulary at Captain Ribbers.

This is exactly what makes Dumaguete enticing not just for academics and artists but more so for those with a penchant for great food that doesn’t necessary leave you living at less than $1 a day—a poverty threshold by United Nations standards.  In this laidback capital of Negros Oriental, if the best things in life like delectable dishes don’t come for free, they come at unbelievable prices that’ll get you quite a bang for your buck.

A personal favorite to stuff myself with the best of All-American fare is Captain Ribbers—a new kid on the block—that’s conveniently located a stone’s throw away from Silliman University and Rizal Boulevard.  While Silliman University’s distinct vintage American heritage feeds the eyes and the soul, Captain Ribbers’ All-American masterpieces will take care of your stomach—a clears fulfillment of the Captain’s mission to eradicate hunger faster than you can say ‘Millennium Development Goals’.

Although it serves American favorites from whopping subway sandwiches stuffed with pork flakes and shredded cheese, and spiked with dollops of barbecue or honey mustard sauce to home-made potato wedges topped with generous amounts of spicy ground meat drizzled with cheese that easily melts in your mouth, Captain Ribbers has made a commitment to please the tastebuds by adding a distinct Filipino twist to Western favorites making this marriage between east and west one that’s made in culinary heaven.

The Captain’s claim to fame though is its signature entree—babyback racks marintaed in a secret rub that’s allowed to seep into every fiber of the meat before the ribs are thrust in the oven to bake in anticipation of the grilling process that leaves you with a huge plate of tender meat that easily falls off the bone.

The Captain’s babybacks comes in five smokin’ options to choose from.

The original rub comes in the classic grilled barbecue mix that’s savory enough to take you back to the American wild west where these babybacks used to be grilled to perfection right at the outback.

The honey mustard rub creates just the right blend between the hot outrageousness that English mustard is notorious for and the even sweetness of honey all tied up by the charcoaled goodness of thick meat.

The oriental rub is a classic east-meets-west blend for those who prefer a more easter, more oriental take on a western favorite.  What sets it apart from a truly Filipino taste is that the oriental rub gives the meat a more sweet-and-sour treatment, infusing an imperial Chinese taste that’s hard to deny.

Spicy barbecue—undoubtedly a best seller at Captain Ribber’s—amps the ante by making the average, original rack hotter than hot with a generous rub of its signature spicy barbecue sauce enough to send you asking the waiter to another round of unlimited rice...and another one...and yet another one.

Finally, the Cry Baby rub is not for the faint of heart as it takes on the chili, the peppers, and all things spicy, sending this rack into flaming overdrive.  While this rub has also become a favorite among those who frequently stuff themselves at the Captain, this is one rub that requires you to bolster your beverage amo just in case your tongue catches fire.

Although a new kid on the all-American scene compared to its more established contemporaries like Chili’s and TGI Friday’s, what sets Captain Ribbers as a far cry from the head honchos running the All-American dish scene is that it’s a hub for comfort food that comes at comfortable prices. (FREEMAN)