July 15-21, 2004

food

Gunning for You

by Elisa Ludwig

Passersby might remember the building that is now Tommy Gunns American Barbecue: Up until very recently, it prominently displayed a Frank Rizzo For Mayor sign, an aggressively anachronistic challenge to the fancier developments along Ridge Avenue. The sign is now gone; the building has been painted a burnt orange. The lot's been cleaned up. Picnic tables bear rolls of paper towels (for sauce wiping) and small metal buckets (for bone disposing).

There are tables inside, too, but it seems as though the main business here is takeout. You read the menu painted on a piece of driftwood and place your order at the counter and, before the Beyoncé song on the radio is over, your meal is ready to take out.

The menu runs the regional gamut, with Kansas City, St. Louis, Texas and Carolina styles of cooking represented. The default Original sauce is tangy and sharp but only mildly sweet, a great complement for the ribs. For the pulled pork, a South Carolina mustard sauce is recommended. And as if meat gnawed off the bone was not low-carbtastic enough, Tommy Gunns also offers a sugar-free Alabama white sauce.

Both the brisket and pulled pork, served, curiously, on Kaiser rolls, were moist and appropriately fatty, but both could have used more cooked-in seasoning. The St. Louis-style spareribs were thick and juicy, verging on chewy. The baby backs, usually the redheaded stepchild of the rib world, were here much more tender than the spareribs, with nicely charred, crisped edges. Another pleasant surprise was the chicken wings, which had a slightly darker sauce with an exceptionally rich flavor. The wings also came with fries that had been given the old spice rub treatment, which made them slightly reminiscent of Doritos, with their crack-like instant-addiction effect.

Of course, there are sides to try out. Baked beans were among the best of them, sweet and redolent with smoky flavor. South Carolina-style coleslaw had a mustardy bite, while the Oklahoma corn salad was refreshing with little bursts of onion. And the lemon garlic potato salad was a nice change of pace from the usual egg and Hellmann's affair.

It takes vision to transform an abandoned bus depot into a hot spot. Tommy Gunns already has an enthusiastic following of elderly joggers, single moms and men with ties coming in for a rib fix. Must be that Dorito spice.

Tommy Gunns American Barbeque 4901 Ridge Ave., 215-508-1030
Hours: Thu.-Sat., 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun.-Wed., 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sandwiches: $2.99-$6.99
Entrees: $4.99-$18.99
Reservations not necessary.
All major credit cards except Discover.
Wheelchair accessible.
Smoking permitted at bar only.