| Restaurant Info |
| Percy Street BBQ 600 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-2018 (215) 625-8510 http://www.percystreet.com Mon - Sun: 11:30am-2am Ron’s Ribs Tues - Thurs: 1pm-10pm 1946 Lombard Street Philadelphia, PA 19146-1411 (215) 545-0350 http://thepubandkitchen.com Mon - Sun: 4pm-2am |
When relishing a pork rib, which is better: a simple recipe, tried and true, or something, new, neat, and complex? Does an excellent BBQ even require a smoke house?
Using different techniques (two smoke, one braises), flavors, and food knowledge (only two joints are run by trained chefs), to create an unforgettable signature, we tested the racks of three eateries. Much lip smacking and finger licking ensued.
PERCY STREET BBQ
Opening last November, a glance through the kitchen window catches chef Erin O’Shea at work. Previously chef of Marigold Kitchen, O’Shea was lauded as one of Philly’s Best Chefs this month in Bon Appétit.
O’Shea’s ribs are tender and not at all sweet; you can see a smoke ring in the form of a warm-red line sandwiched between tender center meat and crispy outer bark. But the presentation isn’t at all like the smeared BBQ from down south – Percy Street’s ribs may be meant for eating with starched sleeves neatly rolled up.
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Sauces: Hot Mess runs up the nostril with flaming legs. Old Faithful has a medium heat tingle found when tart apple cider vinegar and sweet brown sugar meet a Hungarian pepper. Out of the three, Sweet Thang remains the most complex: attractively smoky and sexy with sour tang and a jammy finish. Smoking: 2-3 hours over red oak at 230 degrees. Cut/Serving: Neatly cut; primly embraced in waxed paper, these trim and dense Texas-style St. Louis cuts are dry rubbed with salt and pepper for a blackened tasty bark. Price: $12 for a half-rack. Serving ribs all the time?: Yes. Atmosphere: The interior plays to the rural and rustic with enamelware water pitchers and chalkboard menus. Wooden benches footed with coal-cart wheels can be seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows. |
RON’S RIBS
At Ron’s Ribs, Kevin Washington, current owner/chef (and brother to original owner, Ron), swears by
his time-honored, smoke-seething 1940’s brick oven. “The flavor has penetrated the walls, so all that flavor goes in the meat.”
The Washington family has been in the building since 1926, and it’s likely that the ventilation system preceded the oven, as Ron’s is as smoky as a jazz-age speakeasy. The dive-like setting, backed up with Kevin’s mother’s recipes, authenticates his simple ribs — heavy, tender, and gratifying; rib meat both flakes and melts off the bone.
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Sauces: A choice between sweet or heat: Sweet hits in layers: tang, pepper, and brown sugar. The hot sauce? Quite moderate. Be sure to let Washington know which you prefer, for ribs arrive pre-doused. Smoking: 1.5 hours over hickory chips at a maximum 300 degrees. Cut/Serving: Hunky; not as closely trimmed as those at Percy Street, but the high heat cooking crisps the skin, forming a more apparent contrast even without a dry rub. Price: $12 for a half rack. Serving ribs all the time?: Yes. Atmosphere: The inside is unbearably smoky. Sit at one of the two alfresco tables or make good on the to-go container (eating in or out, Ron’s dishes arrive in Styrofoam) and head to Penn’s landing. *Important to note: Due to a meager two-person operating team, Ron’s hours can be erratic — call ahead. |
PUB & KITCHEN
Aware that smoke can sometimes be too flavor-forward, Chef Jon Adams opts to braise Pub & Kitchen’s (P&K) ribs for the weekly Rib & Grits dinners on Wednesday nights. The concept has experienced great popularity, as the Rib & Grits dinner has sold out every Wednesday since its start in July.
And it’s a sight to behold. The ribs, stacked like a Lincoln Log fortress are more chewy than tender. While there is no crimson smoke ring to entertain the eyes (a la Percy St.), here your meal comes with a Troegs Sunshine Pils. The ribs aren’t exactly dripping with sauce, so snag some extra from a waiter.
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Sauces: Aromatic, dark brown, thick, and heavy with a straightforward shot of pepper and something secret. When questioned, line cook, Matt Krlic revealed secret ingredients that make this sauce one for the cowboys: coffee and catsup. Cooking Method: First, the ribs are blanched to remove all fatty excess. Next, seven hours of 175 degree braising in a pan of aromatics, water, vinegar, and sugar. Right before serving, the ribs are roasted and dressed in Blue Label Cowboy Sauce. Cut/Serving: Gratefully thick and massive. Price: $17 covers the entire dinner: A whole rack of ribs, a skillet of cheesy grits, cole slaw with a sly whisper of fennel, and the Sunshine Pils. Serving ribs all the time?: Only Wednesday evenings. Get there early! (While the kitchen is open until 1am, they are likely to sell out before the sun sets.) Atmosphere: Whitewashed brick walls and wooden furniture make this stop cozy — perfect for a date. |
When it comes to ribs, the answer is in the meat. Somewhere between dry rub and red oak, O’Shea of Percy Street pulls ahead with unbeatable texture and flavor. Flawlessly trimmed, I would set aside crispy skin in support of a hefty cut. When comparing sauces, Hot Thang of Percy St. beats P&K’s Blue Label.
But it’s far more fun when you try all three.
Just returned from studies in Crete, Erica Hope is a Drexel University student and aspiring food writer. Her work has also appeared in The Triangle.
Article photographs taken by author, "Eat Drink Philly" photograph from suvodeb, via Flickr (Creative Commons), "Philly" photograph from camardella, via Flickr (Creative Commons).
