racks – Jellybeans in the City

Now, why would my Pasig City-based family be in this restaurant on the other end of the metro on a weekend?

The answer’s pretty simple: we just finished a round of shopping at the IKEA nearby and we didn’t want to wait in line for its in-store restaurant.

Having espied this RACKS branch upon leaving the furniture store, I just knew that this is where the fam can sate our hunger quite happily. After all, eating at RACKS is always something the entire family agrees on.

Here are three reasons why:

1. It’s a place for casual and comfortable dining.

Surprisingly, RACKS is a homegrown brand but the look and feel of the restaurant is of the American Southwest from the wide and open layout, brick architectural features and farm-style decor, among others.

Smoking meat, essentially barbecue, after all, is an American tradition.

However, RACKS was actually launched by auto magnate Wellington Soong, exclusive distributor of Jaguar, Land Rover and Maserati in the 90s. It was then acquired by the Prieto family (the same group behind Shakeys, Tia Maria and Via Mare, among others) in the mid-2000s.

The new owners instigated some changes, such as transitioning the look of the restaurants from the all-white, country-style theme, to a more homey farmhouse style which is still in place in all of its outlets in the country, this branch included.

2. Its signature barbecue sauces just makes everything better.

Among the things RACKS is known for is its own-brand barbecue sauces. Available in two variants – Original and Extra Hot – these sauces are the perfect condiments to bring out the flavors or RACKS smoked ribs.

These sauces accompanies all orders in the restaurant but can also be bought by the bottle for Php340.

(Cooking hack: my mom also uses it as a marinade for her Crispy Tadyang recipe.)

3. Our family already has its go-to orders here.

Having patronized RACKS since its launch in the 90s (Hubby and I even had a few of our dinner dates in some branches), it’s no wonder that we have established our fast faves from its menu.

Our meal, of course, is centered around RACKS’ Classic Pork Ribs (Php495 quarter | Php775 half | Php1,565). Hickory-smoked in a blend of herbs and spices to achieve that rich and smokey flavor. Given the appetites of my family members, only a full rack can satisfy us.

Our order of Classic Pork Ribs is served with a two side dishes and we opted for our faves, tangy Coleslaw for Hubby and myself and snackable Mac ‘n Cheese for the kiddos.

In other restaurants, we could have had an appetizer of a plate of onion rings but not in RACKS. Oh, mo! Here, we start our meal with a sizable Onion Brick (Php345).

Our meal also includes our preferred grains: Java Rice (Php85 single | Php425 platter) for Hubby and the kids, and Garlic Rice (Php85 single | Php425 platter) for me.

Completing our meal is a Pitcher of House-blend Iced Tea (Php295).

Is it any wonder the fam tends to gravitate towards RACKS for a fuss-free yet delicious family meal?

This branch is located at Aseana Square, Entertainment City, Diosdado Macapagal Blvd, Tambo, Parañaque.

Other Metro Manila branches are located at:

Las Pinas: SM Southmall, Evia Lifestyle Center
Makati: Paseo de Magallanes
Mandaluyong: SM Megamall
Manila: Robinsons Place Ermita
Muntinlupa: Festival Mall
Paranaque:
Pasay: SM Mall of Asia
Pasig: Tiendesitas
Quezon City: UP Town Center, Timog Avenue, Trinoma Mall, SM North EDSA
San Juan: Greenhills Shopping Center
Taguig: The Fort Strip

To know more about RACKS or to order online, visit its website. To stay updated on its promos and offers, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Certified carnivores like Hubby, my daughter #ExhibitA and myself have a special affinity for RACKS.

This resto chain’s name stands for Real American Country Kitchen Style, so you can expect Southern-style hearty servings and rich flavors from down-home recipes, and what they claim to be “The Best Ribs in town.”

It is no wonder, then, that the fam would want to spend lunchtime at the newly opened branch of RACKS at Tiendesitas, which is nearest to our home.

There, we shared a meal comprised of:

The Onion Brick (Php295). Thinly sliced, marinated and lightly-breaded onion rings deep-fried to a crisp into a brick shape then served with a spicy remoulade and barbecue sauce. This particular iteration of the dish was a bit too oily, though, compared to the other times we had this dish.

Classic Pork Ribs (Php455 quarter rack | Php685 half rack |Php1,315 full rack). Slow-cooked to tender and smokey perfection, these meaty cuts of pork ribs never fail to appeal to us. We originally planned on getting just one half rack but we felt a bit bitin so we ended up ordering another half rack. I guess we were quite ravenous that day!

I prefer to eat my RACKS Classic Pork Ribs with Garlic Rice and Coleslaw while Hubby and Exhibit A prefer their ribs with Java Rice and Mac & Cheese.

Of course, these ribs are best enjoyed with RACKS’ Original Barbecue Sauce!

Another filling and hearty family meal done!

This Racks branch is located at Ground Floor, Building B, Frontera Verde, Ugong, Pasig City.

Craving for RACKS’ Classic Pork Ribs but stuck at home due to the enhanced community quarantine? You’d be happy to know that you can enjoy it at home by having RACKS’ frozen meats delivered from either its Tiendesitas branch or Paseo de Magallanes branch. Available meats include: Baby Ribs (Php1,733 for two full slabs), Classic Pork Ribs (Php1,381 for full rack), Premium Boneless Pork Ribs (Php1,403 for full rack) and Beef Ribs (Php1,485 for full rack). RACKS’ Original BBQ Sauce and Extra Hot BBQ Sauce are also available Php325 per bottle.

These are available for pick-up via walk-in (just call ahead of time to avoid long queues: +63 2 82341604 for Tiendesitas or +63 2 88215797 for Paseo de Magallanes) or for delivery via GrabFood or Food Panda.

Download the Grab App on the App Store or Google Play. Get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Use this link to download the FoodPanda app and get Php100 off your first order.

Other Racks branches in the metro are located at