It’s hard to say what will become of a food critic after his or her tenure is through. My predecessor, Hank Mylander, whose column “Masticating in Public” ran for two years or so, disappeared from the pages of The Lantern to places unknown. However, a few weeks ago I got word that he was selling monkey-paw ashtrays to tourists far, far away on the lofty streets of Brobdingnag (actually, he has been spending his time attending Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law).

He was more than willing to rehash his old glory by accompanying myself and the rest of the circus to Ribs on High: Barbeque 101, located at 2060 N. High St. in the Ohio Stater mall (at the corner of Woodruff and High). The location hasn’t proven a lasting one in years past (how many of you remember the Cajun Place?), but we’ll see.

“I had my reservations about Ribs on High,” said Mylander. “But truth be told, my spareribs (St. Louis Style: $7) were a fleeting brush with barbecue bliss. The sauce was sweet, smoky and complemented the pork without overpowering it. For seven bucks, I could afford this even without involving myself in an insider-trading scheme. I call upon barbecue lovers to ask themselves, ‘Am I doing my part to keep great BBQ within walking distance?'”

“The service was touch and go, as tends to be the case with any new business. The staff was generally helpful and friendly, but ROH needs to improve its communication between the back and front staff,” said Mylander. “Far too many items were unavailable at 4:20 in the afternoon, including all barbecued beef dishes as well as the peach cobbler. The front staffs were unaware of any shortages until long after we ordered.”

“All in all, ROH is surprisingly delicious and affordable. Take advantage of their free delivery, and you’ll see why ROH needs to upgrade its slogan to “Barbeque H101.” Yours truly, Hank Mylander, Masticator Emeritus,” he said.

I would have to agree with Hank in saying the service still has a few kinks to work out, but the food will win you over. My Hickory Smoked Baby Back Rib dinner ($8.00) tasted as sweet as the morning Georgia sunshine. There was plenty of meat to the bone which was not over-done or dried out, but moist and juicy. However, the secret was in the thick, smoky sauce, which could compete with any BBQ sauce in Columbus.

The dinners come with a choice of two sides (out of seven). The baked Mac ‘n’ Cheese was a little clumpy — nothing out of the ordinary. The collard greens were too hot to even eat, and the salty smell left something to be desired.

Co-reviewer Gutter tried the Large Pulled Pork Sandwich ($4.75) and said, “The bottom bun was a little soggy; there was just too much sauce. I couldn’t even pick it up to eat it. But other than that it was really good. There ain’t nothin’ sexier than a pulled pork sandwich.” The potato salad was “decent,” he added, “but I’ve had better.”

“The Chicken Dinner ($7) was a touch dry,” said co-reviewer George, “but still good. Some of the best tasting food on High Street.”

My dessert, the Sweet Potato Pie ($2.25), had the consistency of pumpkin pie and tasted even better. George’s Pineapple Upside-Down Cake ($1.95) was “steaming hot and really sweet.”

The restaurant has a delivery service open until 3:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (until 10 p.m. Mon-Thur; 294-RIBS), probably the tastiest option at pre-pass out. ROH has a buy-one-dinner, get-one-free special (possibly the best dining deal on campus) on Mondays and Tuesdays from 6-10 p.m. when mentioning the ad from the PaperGOLD coupon magazine. With four succulent BBQ sauces to choose from and late night delivery, ROH just may pull off what the former tenants could not manage to do: Stay open.

Nicholas Gill is a senior in English and journalism and can be reached for question or comment at [email protected].