Chow Now: Percy Street BBQ

My best barbeque memories are from my childhood 4th of July’s. Each year my mom would fire up the grill, slather countless chicken parts and steaks with a sweet and smoky glaze, toss them onto our rusty old Weber, and then pile them on a platter for the whole family to enjoy just before the first fireworks lit up the summer sky.

Simple? Sure. But to me that’s what barbeque is all about.

My southern friends get offended when I refer to that simple marinade-and-grill method as barbeque, but coming from the Midwest, that’s about as authentic as it gets. So in my never-ending quest to taste some “real” barbeque, I hopped on SEPTA and moseyed on down to Percy Street Barbeque for some good old fashioned smoked meat.

I ordered the smoked pork tenderloin—a dish I wasn’t expecting to find on a standard BBQ menu. The meat was tender and it certainly had a distinct smoky flavor to it. A smattering of sweet grilled onions and a delicious ham hock vinaigrette were drizzled on top. And believe me, that dressing made the dish. At the end of the night I was struggling to soak up the last of it.

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The side sampler was another solid choice. The coleslaw lacked flavor and the collard greens were a touch too chewy, but the other three bowls were excellent. The warm potato salad was rich and smooth and the sauerkraut was perfectly pungent, but my absolute favorite was the side of baked beans. They were cooked with burnt ends that gave them a real depth of flavor. Each bite of those little guys was a spoonful of pure pork-filled goodness.

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The meal was certainly a far cry from my usual Independence Day fare, but I’m not entirely sure I captured a “real” barbeque experience by eating at Percy Street.

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So CHOW NOW at Percy Street Barbeque! It may not be a true Southern experience, but you’ll leave too pleased to care.

-Chase Matecun

One thought on “Chow Now: Percy Street BBQ

  1. Love this review! I’ve been dying to try Percy Street. I didn’t expect to see that pork tenderloin on the menu, but it looks incredible.

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