BBQ and Bourbon c/o Philly's Fette Sau

It has been been more than a year since C., K. and I got together at Fette Sau for a taste of barbeque and bourbon in Brooklyn. Each time I've been back to New York since, I always have Fette Sau on the short list of places I'd like to go again...but I never end up there. So when I heard about Stephen Starr's collaborative plan to bring a Fette Sau to Philly I was excited. And then it opened and I was too busy to ever make it up to try it out. This went on longer than I'd like. So when Mr. Ass. asked me about the place at some point earlier this month, I told him what I knew and then a few days later suggested we go there for some grub and spirits. The evening was a Friday, and we went on the early bird side of things. Unlike my experience in Brooklyn, there was no line or wait whatsoever. The establishment itself is actually bigger, by quite a bit, than the Williamsburg original, but has very much the same decor and overall vibe. Initially the place felt a little empty, but over the course of our time there, things picked up.

So what did we order? We ordered pulled pork, brisket, ribs, pickles, sauerkraut and baked beans. The dude behind the counter was friendly and quite helpful. Totally willing to express his own opinion about which version of ribs he preferred, and to give us a sense of whether we were ordering too much or too little.

I believe Mr. Ass ended up favoring the ribs the most out of all the options, while I went back and forth between the meltingly fatty brisket and the ribs. All the sauces were good, but the meat on its own had a depth of smoky flavor that didn't even need the extra help.

I decided to have a Templeton Rye, as it makes me feel like I know something and reminds me of my Chicagoist days. It was a rainy night and I had been a tad bit stressed that week, so it was great to touch base with Mr. Ass and finally cross Fette Sau off my Philly new restaurant list. Big thanks to Mr. Ass for driving me to and fro even though it was out of his way, and for listening to me rant about this thing or that thing for a good majority of the meal.