It goes without saying; this blog entry isn’t going to be vegetarian friendly. The ribcage of a pig doesn’t sound appetizing at all, but anyone’s who’s eaten these babies knows better. Pork ribs are one of those things everyone likes: but we may like them a little differently. There are the American style ribs you pick up with your hands while the BBQ sauce drips down to your wrists and chin. They go great with a country style side of cornbread, mash potatoes and corn on the cob. Then there’s the sweet Asian honey glazed style which, when done just right, you can tear apart from the bone with just chopsticks. You can have your cuts with different ratios of fatty, tender, jelly-like white to chewy, meaty red. Or pick between the curvier baby back ribs and flatter spare ribs. One way or the other, you’ve got to indulge yourself and Bombay is slowly becoming the place to do it.“If I had to narrow my choice of meats down to one for the rest of my life, I am quite certain that meat would be pork.” - James Beard
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| Pork Ribs: American style at Barking Beer vs. Asian style at Mamagoto |
One of my top favorite pork ribs in the city is the very American BBQ pork ribs
at Indigo Deli. This is a place that's great at a lot of things: breakfast eggs Benedict, pizza lunch and steak dinner. With all your favorites just done right the pork ribs may forget to get ordered - but try them, I promise they delight. Plus points for the thick, buttered cornbread with just a hint
of sweetness and plus points for non pretentious deli- style plating that still
makes you drool (The damage: Rs. 615).
If American barbeque is the way you go, try the ribs styled as “pub
bites” at Barking Deer, the new Lower Parel microbrewery and restaurant. These
grilled pork ribs in BBQ sauce are the most value for money on this list (Damage:
Rs. 325). They come alone and unaccompanied; just ribs as the hero. It's a very get down and dirty bar food dish that goes great with Barking Deer’s beers from around the world and dim-lit pub like set up. On the downside, the ribs are quite heavy on what I think of as fatty,
white jelly. Some like that white lard on bacon too but I’m not much of
a fan.
In contrast are the ribs at Mamagoto, Bandra. Also plated alone in their
“secret smoky glazed” splendor, these beauties are all juicy red meat with a very interesting sesame dipping sauce. Mamagoto calls itself "fun Asian dining" which is a great
description for a bright, colorful, kitschy yet upscale ambiance. It's Asian food with a modern twist. Their menu says the ribs have “Japanese favors”
which I couldn’t really isolate. (The Damage:
Rs. 1195).
The 1st prize
however, goes to Yauatcha (Rs. 1350). This BKC Chinese fine dining is courtesy of
Michelin star chef Alan Yau and has been tried and tested in London. Trust me,
dear reader, I'm not usually the type of eater than judges food by what it
costs but in this case the ribs are worth every penny (or paisa).
Perfect meat and perfect flavors! The difference here is a burst of smokiness.
It’s a new addition to the menu; a little research says they are smoked in
jasmine tea. They are that perfect mix of smooth texture with powerful flavors and a delight when accompanied by Yauatcha's Black River martini - a rich and bold concoction of Black label, apricot liqueur, Drambuie, blackberries and apple juice.