1 Stop Road Trip-Don's BBQ-Pooler GA

So, with really not much time to eat, I opted to hit Don's BBQ as suggested by Seafarer John.
Easy to find, right off I-95 in Pooler, GA.
I opted for both the chopped pork sandwich, and the sliced pork sandwich, side of fries, and the BBQ slaw.
Which I assumed was cole slaw with Q sauce.

Fries just happened to be my favorite.. Crinkle Cuts!
Sauce choice was hot or mild vinegar based thin sauce.
I opted for it on the side, as Gigi was sharing with me.
Tasty, mild.. I forgot to ask for the hot. Oh well, my fault.

Now, I was surprised to look at the sliced sandwich, and see 2 thick (er) cuts of pork. I am used to the very thin, piled high sliced Q sandwiches. I am guessing maybe 2 oz of meat. I got the small size.
Didnt look like real pit Q to me, but oven roasted.
I saw no pink or smoke rings.
But it was juicy and very tasty, and very tender. It pulled apart with my fingers.
I have no clue how they cook it, maybe John does.
I didnt ask.
It was good, but just didnt look like Q to me.



The picture is deceiving.. It isnt that thick...



And the chopped sandwich



I would stop there again, as it was very tasty, no matter how they cook it.

OH!... Did you notice, there is no review on my BBQ slaw?

Huh... I didnt think so!

You wanna know why?

Because she FORGOT to put it in my bag.
(Boo!)
And I opened the bag, saw the fries and sandwiches, and without pulling every out onto the counter, just figured it was on the bottom.
WRONG!
I didnt bother to turn around, as I was southbound I-95, and it probably would take more gas cost than the $2.15 I paid for it.
Thats one way of keeping your food cost's down...Just don't give it to them... (LOL)

quote:

Originally posted by roossy90
Did you notice, there is no review on my BBQ slaw?

Bummer. I just asked was BBQ slaw was in another thread. I was sure I was going to get a pic and an answer.

That sliced pork did look thick, but tasty.

I have had Q slaw once before.
I do think they used a bit of the vinegar based sauce mixed right in with the cole slaw. I cant imagine using a thick sauce.


I was anxious to see how Don's did it, just to compare, but alas....I will never know now!

quote:

Originally posted by roossy90

I have had Q slaw once before.
I do think they used a bit of the vinegar based sauce mixed right in with the cole slaw. I cant imagine using a thick sauce.

Ah, interesting. I was thinking more like a slowly smoked cabbage. Okay, I wasn't really. I didn't know what to think. I rarely do.

That makes sense. And it sounds good.

Is it regional? Must be, if it is based on the sauce. I don't get to the Carolinas or GA much. My loss.

Thanks for the reply.

I'm going to try and stop on Saturday and get the sandwich WITH slaw

quote:

Originally posted by Baah Ben

I'm going to try and stop on Saturday and get the sandwich WITH slaw

Just make sure its in the BAG!--lol..
Actually, I did like the sliced pork!
About 3/4 mile to the west off the exit, on your left side.

Thanks for the report, my soon to be a Floridan again friend.

Florida, gotta love it or leave it. Been here 29 years, after a few more I'll decide.

In all our stops at Don's it never occurred to us to order the sliced BBQ, so cant report on it. Don's cooks all its pork on site in a smoker that's usually parked out back of the restaurant. (Although I've got to agree that those slices in the photo look an awful lot like an oven roasted fresh ham.)

What we always order is the daily special- large BBQ sandwich with tea and fries with the slaw on the sandwich. Actually, I think Gail usually gets her slaw on the side and puts what she wants on the sandwich. There's sauce on the table so it is best to ask for no sauce on the sandwich and add what you want at the table. The sauce is true Lexington style - thin, slightly vinegary, and a light red in color - and it is excellent as is the chopped BBQ pork.

Glad you liked it Roosey, but I'm sorry you missed out on the very nice slaw which is as you guessed, enhanced with a bit of the BBQ red sauce.

Cheers, John

quote:

Originally posted by John A

Florida, gotta love it or leave it. Been here 29 years, after a few more I'll decide.

HAH.. I got you beat John....I am born and raised--46 years worth, just took several years hiatus, and now am back again.

Just one thing to say.. I am so glad "Dolly" is "over there" and didnt come this way. That would have been a tad too much as a welcome back home for me!

Seafarer, I really did like the sandwiches, I really did.

I give it a thumbs up.
It was just so hot, I couldnt leave Gigi in the car while I ate inside. Even with all the windows open, she would roast.

(And, you are welcome, Mr. Chips-never NOT been a Floridian)

I had the bbq slaw in NC once, and I have to say . . not so much. And I typically like vinegar based slaw.

Happy trails my dear!

Well, I pulled a Ellen..Sort of..this afternoon. On our way home from Blowing Rock, I made sure to stop here at Don's to try the "Q". Thanks for the easy directions off I-95. It was a breeze. thanks Roosy90.

I told the woman at the counter that I was there to try what the roadfoodies said was pretty good "Q" on this site. She proudly stated it was the best "Q" around. I asked her if they were cooking pork shoulders and she said yes. I ordered a single chopped pork sandwich with slaw. Came out in less than a minute and I ate it in less than a minute. Very good, but it did not have any pronounced smoke taste nor did it have any texture to it...Usually there's some "exterior" chopped into the mixture. But, I liked it. Loved the slaw.

I would have ordered two or three more, but I knew I was going to have lunch in Savannah with my wife (she does not eat pork)in less than 20 minutes. Hey, if it were Ellen, she'd have stopped two or three times before getting to Savannah!!

I loved the road going to Don's in Pooler!! SR 80 West. If I were by myself, I'd have driven up and down that one way road, both ways, looking for more roadfood places. Some may call it sign pollution..I call it an opportunity to find independent eating establishments. It reminded me of SR 7 (441) in Hollywood, Florida. Or, Route 66 for that matter out in Arizona.

I'd asked if anyone knew of Duke's BBQ near Orangeburg, SC and nobody knew of it. Well, I got the town wrong. There is one and it is supposed to be pretty famous. I saw the sign for it at Exit 22 in SC on I-95..if any of you get a chance to check it out. There is a big billboard advertising it on the left side of the road asking you to exit 22 as you are heading South on I-95 in SC. Hope someone can check it out and tell us all about it.

I'm going to now go post on our lunch in Savannah.

DAMN, I am so jealous of Roossy90 for her ability to move south, and where her heart takes her. My Dad lives in Shallotte, NC, just a bit north of Myrtle Beach, and we were stationed in Goldsboro, NC ( Seymour Johnson AFB) and just love the area. My best friend, from those days (who followed us up to NY state) now lives in Lenoir, NC, so that should be close to Blowing Rock.

We truly enjoyed Wilber's, when we were there, but we also had some fine homemade smoked pork, we made, at home and our own sauce...more on the vineger and hot pepper, with a dab of sweet.

I guess I live vicariously through most of you all, out here now. AF widowed wife with my two girls and their hubbies in CA. Not much roadfood here.

http://www.rudyshideaway.com/ecm/

http://www.rudyshideaway.com/ecm/m9/index.cfm?category=Dinner&p=85742198122

This is one very special place to eat, looks like nothing on the outside, place, BUT, the food and service is top notch. Rudy's is the quintessential place for lobster, in Sacramento.

I am not sure how they do it, we are so land-locked, BUT, the lobster is so fresh. Yuumm. Glad it is so close to my home, and the girls beg to eat there. It is truly "road food", just off highway 50, on Folsom Blvd.

BB: Glad you also liked Don's. You are right about the road leading to Don's there must be at least 10 BBQ's within a mile or two of Don's. We've tried a couple of them (names forgotten) and as I remember they were good - but we still prefer Don's.

Cheers, John

roossy-
Thank you very much for this report, which I missed the first time around.  I plan on eating at Don's BBQ over the weekend and the info here has been a big help.  And I will definitely make sure the cole slaw is in the bag!

buffetbuster


roossy-
Thank you very much for this report, which I missed the first time around.  I plan on eating at Don's BBQ over the weekend and the info here has been a big help.  And I will definitely make sure the cole slaw is in the bag!

WAIT WAIT.. they close early in the evening,  and I dont think they are open on Sundays..... so double check their times of operation,  and please get the BBQ coleslaw, so that I can read about what I missed!