There's a funny thing about ribs and chicken.

Munch has learned, through chatting up restaurant owners, that rib joints have a tough time making it through the winter.

It's because chicken and ribs tend to be associated with summer. Sitting on a porch or on the patio, having barbecue and getting your hands and face all sloppy and then finishing that off with a glass of nice iced tea while spitting watermelon seeds into the bushes. That scene right there is the very essence of summer as it should be.

Steel City Rib House, 220 N. Highland Ave., East Liberty, 412-661-7301.

That's why, last fall, as Munch was driving along Highland Avenue in East Liberty, Munch was surprised to see a new rib place. Munch knew at that moment that the ribs would have to be excellent for it to survive through the winter. And now, with the tulips past their bloom, and this summer's peas climbing up the trellis, Steel City Rib House is still there.

"It's got to be pretty dang good," thought Munch.

This week Munch grabbed Persnickety Friend of Munch (PFOM) and Laid Back Friend of Munch (LBFOM) who both work together balancing each other out. Lunch was sort of fun that way. Just getting to lunch was a little adventure because PFOM had gotten a Garmin map system for his birthday and LBFOM and Munch both wanted to see it work.

To get to East Liberty the Garmin took us from the Post-Gazette up Liberty Avenue all the way to Baum Boulevard, perhaps a direct route, but certainly not a pleasant or relaxing drive, but the Garmin was so sure it was the right way to go.

When we got to the lot across from Steel City Ribs, the Garmin was mute on whether we would be ticketed in the next hour, so we fed the meter before going in to eat.

Steel City Rib House is a really casual place. Casual in that we got there around 12:30, the sign said it opened at 11 and the door was locked. We were crushed until Becky, the chef's wife who runs the restaurant with him, came to the door with her key and unlocked it.

"Are you open?" we asked.

"Sure, come on in," she said while flipping on the lights.

Inside the place is nicer than Munch expected. Munch was thinking pizza place sort of booths and Formica tables, but this is more Chinese restaurant sort of 1970s black chairs with a gray commercial looped carpet.

Becky sat down with us to take our order and talk about the food. It wasn't in a forward sort of way, but more in a joining with us to help us decide on what to eat. We all wound up with ribs. LBFOM and Munch both got the red barbecue sauce, PFOM decided to have his with a sauce that was a mix of mustard and barbecue sauce that he said was nice with a bit of a tang. The medium hot barbecue sauce was not very hot, but this is true, hours after eating the food, Munch is starting to salivate just thinking about it.

The ribs were tender. Munch also got a chicken wing which wasn't some little nothing of a wing, but a real fried wing with a good rub on it that was so freshly cooked it was still sizzling when it was set on the table. The small lunch combo ($7.50) also comes with two sides. Munch opted for the baked beans and fried cabbage.

And don't let the word "small" in the lunch combo fool you -- Munch was so full after that meal that Munch contemplated requesting a nap be included in the work day in the next union contract.