Percy Street BBQ - Philadelphia

As I said in my March resolution post, one of my goals for this year is to discover more of my city. One way I plan on accomplishing this is by eating my way through Philly Mag's 2013 list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Philly (or at least trying to). Our first stop on the list was #45 Percy Street BBQ on South St. 

Percy Street is the Texan child of restaurateurs Steve Cook and Michael Solomonov (the same guys who brought us Xochitl and Zahav).  The feel of the restaurant is polished rustic; the lights over the bar are hung on meat hooks, the long tables seat like picnic benches, wood paneling and details peek out everywhere, yet you get the sense that everything, down to the placement of a pickle jar on a worn cabinet, was carefully thought out. That same attention detail certainly carries over to the menu, filled with authentic Texas barbeque options. For an appetizer we had the pork belly and deviled eggs. While it's hard to mess up a deviled egg, I must say theirs were fantastic! And I had never heard of pork belly before, let alone tried it, but our waiter sung its praises and it did not disappoint. I think you can tell a lot about a piece of meat based on how easy it cuts, and this appetizer melted in your mouth.  For our entrees Chrissy had the pulled pork sandwich and I went with the smoked brisket platter. Her sandwich was incredible, with their homemade sauerkraut piled right on top, but I definitely would go for the brisket again. It was incredibly moist and flavorful, I had to restrain myself from licking the plate when I finished! 

While the food is amazing, the menu is a little pricey for a barbeque joint. However, given their extensive beer and whiskey selection, it would be a perfect place to grab drinks and a few appetizers. Plus, they have Yard Root Beer on tap, which is pretty darn cool :) Overall, I'd say I will definitely make a return trip to Percy Street. The ambience, the food, the drinks, everything added up to an excellent evening.

Now that we've tried a new restaurant, the next step in our exploration is going to a show! At least that's the justification I used when I pounced on the chance to see Aziz Ansari tonight at the Merriam Theatre tonight :) Can't wait to report back!