Angus au Jus with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli (Photos by RUDY LIWANAG)

MANILA, Philippines — The new year brings anticipation of new beginnings, new places to visit, new people to meet, new tastes to discover.

For foodies, the prospect of another year of new tastes and new experiences is as exciting as an eight-year-old opening gifts on Christmas day. While new restaurants eye a share of the market and set up shop during the auspicious year of 2012, old names continue to thrive on the solid foundations that they built.

One restaurant that has been successful through the years is Racks. Since the early '90s, Racks has been home to good old American Southern comfort food that Filipinos enjoy because.

At the center of this hoopla is the famous Racks Baby Ribs that, when paired with homemade extra hot barbecue sauce, creates a mouthful of delight, its flavorful and tender meat sliding off the bones.

Despite the popularity of its flagship dishes, it is through variations and constant change that Racks attributes its success year in and year out. “We’ll always stick to our ribs. We have the best ribs in town and everybody comes to us for that, but we also like to let our guests know that we have other things on offer and we’re always coming up with new stuff all the time,” says Racks Restaurant managing director Leopoldo “Chukri” Prieto III.

For this season, Racks has come up with dishes that come from its American Southern roots and incorporate flavor that is very much familiar to the Filipino palate. The Sweet N’ Smokey Ribs offer a fresh twist.

The extremely tender cuts are slapped with Racks’ in-house barbecue sauce which gives off notes of spiciness over a heap of sweet and charred goodness.

The Angus Au Jus is also a great addition to the menu as it offers a serving of certified Angus beef rib-eye seasoned with Racks’ signature steak rub flame grilled to perfection. It is served with red wine Au Jus, a light sauce which adds a pleasant touch to each bite of the choice beef.

One impressive dish on the menu is the Southern Fried Chicken. The kitchen deserves a ton of credit for giving the dish the ability to set itself apart from other fried chicken recipes.

The tenderness of the meat is perfectly complemented by the crispy coating and merged together by the spicy yet light flavor. Paired with homemade biscuits and honey, it offers an authentic Southern dish experience.

The menu’s healthy side is also upgraded with additions like the Salad with Blackened Chicken Strips. The huge portion of fresh greens receives a nice kick with the addition of chicken strips applied with tender Cajun rub.

The contrast between the two elements is interesting because it presents robust flavors on a bed of refreshing greens.

Indeed, the New Year opens up new opportunities for most, but for enduring establishments like Racks, it’s another year to improve and pursue greater guest satisfaction.

For more information, visit Racks  El Pueblo  at ADB Ave., cor.  Julio Vargas Ave., Pasig City or call (02) 636-7468.