If you don’t want to be in the kitchen all day for Thanksgiving (or don’t have the culinary skills to make that special day memorable), swing by Percy Street Barbeque (900 South St. ) the day before to get your holiday feast together.
Having been there before, we know that Percy Street can throw down on some meat, and for Thanksgiving, Chef Erin O’Shea is preparing her Take-Home Turkeys ($65 per turkey and $225 for the Smokin’ Thanksgiving Feast). But it’s all the excellent side items that really prevent us from feeling bad about being super-lazy on Turkey Day.
The usual Thanksgiving suspects are pretty damn good, especially the cornbread and sausage stuffing, a special only available for Thanksgiving, which has a pleasantly toasty texture and a sweet, buttery richness. The collard greens ($4) are especially hearty and seasoned with pork. Of course, the mashed sweet potatoes and pecan pie ($7) are comfort-food heaven and must-haves.
Thanksgiving staples aside, there are some other dishes on offer that would be outside the box and still perfect for Thanksgiving or any other day. The smoked brisket ($14) with onion jam on grilled potato bread is juicy and superb, and Percy’s deviled eggs ($4) have a smoky kick. The vegetarian black bean chili ($7) will please carnivores and grazers alike with its hearty, spicy flavor, both in the chili and also in the poblano salsa that tops it.
Percy Street also gives diners a down-home Southern take on charcuterie with its biscuit board ($9), which consists of three small biscuits, thinly sliced country ham and seasonal accompaniments, which on the night we visited were pecan mustard, honey crème fraiche and a golden tomato jam. The latter is best when combined with one of those perfect buttery biscuits and a helping of ham.
If the quality of the food isn’t motivation enough, Percy Street Barbeque is donating the cash equivalent of one turkey to a local food bank for each turkey sold. Take-Home Turkeys and Smokin’ Thanksgiving Feasts must be reserved by calling 215-625-8510.