Chow Now BBQ Bonanza Week 2: Percy Street BBQ

Percy Street BBQ

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Good BBQ is about more than just taste, it should be a feast for the senses. Everything from the smoky sweet aroma of roasting meat to the crisp crackly and crunchy feel of pork skin adds to the experience. After an extensive taste of the menu, it’s safe to say that Percy Street has mastered the proverbial BBQ elements.

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Saltines with Pimento Cheese: Percy Street’s version of a “bread basket,” the crisp crackers were served with a spread of sharp cheddar, mayo, peppadew pepper, scallion, and a touch of cream cheese and cayenne pepper.

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Shrimp and Grits: Thick and creamy with a dense, polenta-like consistency, we agreed the addition of sharp flakes of parmesan made the grits some of the best we’d ever had. The shrimp themselves were fresh and juicy.

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Turkey Tails: Sticky and chewy, these bite-sized balls were layered thick with smoke and sweet BBQ sauce.

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Smoked Beef Tongue: Served on rustic slices of housemade grilled rye bread and a trio of spreads (pecan mustard, white bean and smoked garlic puree, fermented “brussel” kraut). The beef was dressed in a sweet caper berry vinaigrette and was paper thin, tender with the slightest chew.

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Smoked Beet and Grapefruit Salad: Leave it to Percy Street to figure out how to add smoke to a salad! The heartiness of the cured beets paired nicely with the creamy white farmer’s cheese and the light sweetness of the maple vinaigrette.

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Smoked Brisket: When prompted by our server Justin as to what cut of brisket we wanted, we opted for a mixture of both lean and moist cuts. Both were delectable, but I prefered the denser, more condensed flavors of the lean meat (and burnt ends) as opposed to the fattier pieces. But both types were a hit when stacked on top a chunk of the thick-sliced grilled potato bread and topped with a smear of the darkly-sweet caramelized onion jam.

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Smoked Pork Tenderloin: The tenderloin had the same consistency as the lean slices of brisket. A grilled sweet onion and ham hock vinaigrette chutney graced the slices, adding savory-sweetness to the one-note pork.

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Pulled Pork: On its own the pulled pork came off a bit dry, but wedged between two halves of a fluffy white potato roll and topped with a dollop of Percy Street’s crisp cabbage-apple coleslaw, the finished product was more succulent and moist than any other naked pulled-pork sandwich I had eaten previously.

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Pinto Beans: Cooked low and slow in a mildly spicy tomato base and infused with the deep smokiness of brisket burnt ends. One of my personal favorite sides–the beans had just the right amount of give to them and went well scooped up with anything else on my messy BBQ filled plate.

German Potato Salad: Served warm with a bacon vinaigrette, creamy and smooth.

Collard Greens: These greens were somewhat lackluster, but a peppery kick from smoked ham hocks gave them a fair amount of flavor.

Macaroni and Cheese: The Cabot cheddar was heavy on the tongue, so a squirt of BBQ sauce helped perk up each bite. The casserole also could have been crispier.

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Skillet Cornbread: Delivered to the table in a piping hot cast-iron skillet, this side was one of our favorites. The crisp, buttery outer crust gave way to a delightfully crumbly inner center packed with bits of spicy jalapeno and sharp cheddar.

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Pecan Pie: Nutty, brown-sugar sweet, and plenty sticky, the slice was chockful of chopped pecans. All we needed was an icy glass of milk to wash the pie down.

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Chocolate-Banana Bread Pudding: Bonneted by a pristine scoop of cinnamon ice cream and peanut butter, this cakey dessert warmed us from the inside out.

Penn Appetit Picks

Chase: Smoked beet and grapefruit salad, pulled pork, pinto beans, skillet cornbread

Nicole: Turkey tails, skillet cornbread, pecan pie

On the lookout for other spectacular BBQ in Philadelphia? Then check out the rest of our BBQ Bonanza! 

— Chase Matecun & Nicole Woon
PC: Nicole Woon

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