Percy Street BBQ: Comcast Center Review

Having tried Percy Street BBQ on South Street, I was looking forward to the outpost in the Comcast Center - the bastion of corporate lunches. Having read the Yelp reviews, I knew that I should be expecting mainly sandwiches - consisting of BBQ chicken, pulled pork, or brisket. Sides are offered as well, including Mac & Cheese and collard greens. Unfortunately, my after-work visit was disappointing. Perhaps the timing was the reason (read: after work and not during lunch) ... though I arrived three hours prior to closing.

Having visited Mike's Steaks several times - I have spied on Percy Street's operations from a short distance. They carve and chop your meat to order, which is a nice touch. Unfortunately, on my inaugural visit, they were already out of BBQ chicken and pulled pork. I knew the Comcast iteration of Percy Street did not offer pork belly, so I had already settled on brisket - so no matter to me. However, I was picking up dinner for the GF so I felt bad - I knew she would've preferred the pulled pork or the BBQ chicken. Alas ... it was not meant to be. 

They were also out of jalapeno cornbread. I understand that the prime hours are likely during lunch, but if you're open until 7PM - it kind of stands to reason that around 4PM, you'd have most offerings. But I digress (do I? do I really?) ... on to the meal!

Chopped Brisket ($7.99)

Served on a Liscio's roll, the brisket was chopped to order. There are no lean, fatty, or mixed options here - they simply give you what is apparently available . And trust me - this version was extremely fatty (I prefer mixed). About 3/4 of the brisket was quite good - smoky, tender, delicious. However, the sandwich had entire squares of fat which were completely inedible.

I asked for the 'Old Faithful' BBQ sauce, which had a tiny bit of heat and a subtle sweetness that was inherent in every mouthful. You can add pickles, onions, coleslaw, or jalapenos as toppings for free, but I wanted to taste the pure, unadulterated brisket. Cheddar, provolone, or pickled green tomatoes are extra.

In any case, I was sorely disappointed with this sandwich - and my stomach was angry for the rest of the night. 

Mac & Cheese ($1.99 when ordered with a sandwich)

Since I ordered the brisket sandwich, I was able to get a side of Mac & Cheese for $1.99 (rather than $2.99 on its own). A steal right? Not at all! The picture above is deceiving - I should've placed it next to the sandwich itself for comparison's sake. The diameter of the entire side was 2 inches at most - on a good day. The height of the container was about an inch. Not worth $1.99 - and I'm normally down to pay most anything for a good bite of food.

And this wasn't it. Don't get me wrong - it was passable and the GF was a fan (but then again she loves Kraft Mac N Cheese - sorry boo - cat's out of the bag!). It was creamy enough and the top was crusted with toasted breadcrumbs. However, it was fairly one note - and one bite. Maybe two.

Overall - the Comcast Center's version of Percy Street BBQ missed its mark for me. Mainly due to the extreme fattiness of the brisket sandwich and the relatively high price point for what constitutes a side. It's a good thing Center City Philly doesn't have many BBQ options - or Percy Street would be obligated to reconsider their pricing of certain items, as well as their quality.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to Fette Sau in the near future ...