HungryZ.com
	In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a huge fan of ribs! Recently, one of our loyal readers emailed me to try a place called “Perry’s”. She went on and on about how they’re the best ribs she’s ever had and that I need to check it out. How could I refuse? “Perry’s” is a small storefront restaurant that has been a favorite in Park Ridge for 40+ years. They’re located at 711 Devon and unlike most suburban restaurants; “Perry’s” has no parking lot. Instead patrons must find street parking (much of it metered) either in front of the place or along side streets. Step inside and you definitely get a relaxed, casual, neighborhood vibe. Walls are painted deep red and a few TV’s hang from the walls, all to complete the casual atmosphere. After seating ourselves (and waiting several minutes), our waiter arrives to take our order. We start with the mozzarella sticks as an appetizer; for dinner my wife orders the skirt steak sandwich, while I of course go for a full slab of ribs. The ribs come with a choice of soup or salad, so I opt for the salad with Italian dressing. The menu here is actually fairly large covering salads, pizza, Italian beef, ribs, pasta, and dessert. Everything is made fresh on premises, which is a big secret to their lasting success. First thing out is the mozzarella sticks. The sticks have a nice crisp coating that doesn’t fall apart when you pick them up and the mozzarella is warm and stretches nicely when you bite into it. Next come our dinners. But wait, something’s missing? What happened to my salad? My salad unfortunately never came, but with a slab of ribs in front of me now, I no longer cared. Our dinner is accompanied by a basket of bread sticks, which would have been a welcome addition if they weren’t cold. The skirt steak sandwich is served on toasted garlic bread along with a warm cup of their signature barbeque sauce. Large onion rings also come along but are average at best. Instead of a batter, they seem to have a bread crumb coating on them that seems a bit out of place. The steak is tender and cooked exactly the way she ordered it (medium). Serving the sandwich on garlic bread vs. plain is a nice touch that adds a nice bit of extra flavor. Time for the ribs! They’re tender, meaty, and covered in a slightly sweet yet spicy sauce that is delicious! These are darn good ribs, and as an added bonus, Tuesdays are all you can eat ribs day for under $20! The fries are medium thickness with a slightly crisp outside and a fluffy inside. The major disappointment was the cole slaw. It was a little dry, a little sour, and just plain bad. Time for some of their homemade desserts. We decide to share both the cannoli and the tiramisu. The cannoli has a creamy ricotta and chocolate chip filling and a nice crisp outer shell. The tiramisu has a nice creamy custard layered on top of lady fingers that were surprisingly still crisp. The flavor was still good but the texture was wrong. The lady fingers should be soaked in espresso and therefore soft, definitely not crisp. Overall “Perry’s” offers very good main dishes, average sides, and slow service in a comfortable atmosphere. So the question is, are these the best ribs I’ve ever had? No, Carson’s ribs are still my favorite, but these are high on the list. The final bill with tip was about $45 for the two of us, not bad considering we had steak, ribs and two desserts. If you’re a ribs aficionado, “Perry’s” is definitely worth a visit. Rating ** and ½ out of ****. Location 711 Devon Park Ridge, Il 60068 847-823-4422                                                                   Home