The Weekend Chef team ushered into the Year of the Boar with a scrumptious meal at Riblee’s. The restaurant derived its name from the man who started the business, Mr John Lee and no surprise, its signature ribs. They serve beef, pork and wild boar ribs apart from the normal western-styled dishes like fish and chips and pasta. Riblee’s is situated opposite Burger King, and rests on the first floor above Al-Rahji Bank.

The first thing that came to my mind when I first walked in was the cosy and classy ambience created by the dark wood furniture and warm lighting. The owner has also tastefully decorated the restaurant with wine glasses, adding elegance to the setting.

We were all eager to kick-start our “porky adventure” as soon as we sat down. We decided to whet our appetite with Smokey Rolls (6 pieces @ RM 16.80). This dish consists of deep friend smoked streaky bacon wrapped around carrot sticks, celery, cucumber and tiger shrimps. The verdict – two thumbs-up for the succulent bacon and tasty filling.

Our next entrée is Honey-Glazed Fried Calamari. This dish was served in a unique antique looking bronze bowl. The calamari came in crispy bits instead of the usual sliced ones. Unfortunately, the taste of the calamari was lost in the heavy load of deep-fried batter and honey.

For the main course, I ordered their signature item, the Riblee’s Baby Back Ribs (RM 28.80). The baby back ribs are charbroiled and served with corn on the cob, curly fries and some BBQ and mustard sauce. The ribs were well marinated, but slightly overdone with a tad too much black pepper for my liking. But the best part is that this course’s portion is just right for small eaters like myself.

Next, I also tried the Roast Wild Boar Ribs (RM 36.80). This dish was served with some salad and mashed potatoes. I find the pork taste a little strong, but on the whole, the meat was juicy and tender.

In addition to that, we also ordered the Angel Hair Pasta. Unlike the similar dish in other restaurants, Riblee’s is generous with the pork oil they put in the pasta. The taste was pretty blend amidst the other dishes we ordered.

We finished off with two desserts – Oreo ice-cream and hot fudge vanilla sundae. The Oreo ice-cream was delightful, but some extra chocolate topping would be nice. As with the sundae, it was laden with huge serving of walnuts and whipped cream. A definite must-have after the meal.

Overall, I think Riblee’s would be a nice place for a private dining experience. I would rate an 8/10 for its ambience, a 6/10 for food and 8/10 for the service.