A Birthday Oink at Carolina BBQ Spartanburg
What’s New With Meg?
Having reached my goal of 100 Dishes To Eat In Alabama Before You Die, I’m now on a South Carolina food journey to chow down at the best restaurant in each of the 46 S.C. counties, while seeking the Top 100 Food Dishes To Eat In South Carolina While Alive, Or, Before Dead, Whichever Comes First.
Why This Stop?
Tasty Tuesday – Carolina BBQ in Spartanburg
It was my birthday surprise. My sister, her two teen boys, and my Mom decided to surprise me for my birthday. Surprise, I was super sick with a cold. We decided to take it easy and get some local BBQ. Heading towards a BBQ place near my home in my cold dazed state, all of the stars aligned. There were wrong turns, road construction, and a need to hurry so when the GPS landed us on the doorstep of Carolina BBQ we did not care where we picked up our BBQ.
As luck had it, we visited one of the Best BBQ Place In South Carolina according to Southern Living.
Carolina BBQ has both a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence and is home to a South Carolina Barbeque Association Certified Judge, who happens to be the owner.
Located in Spartanburg on a busy roundabout, just off Business I-85, in a small strip mall, I have passed by this unassuming business with barely a notice. Kind of your typical old school BBQ shack attached to the restaurant.
The inside was clean, bright and cheery with counter seats and pigs galore.
Carolina BBQ of Spartanburg has a cheery interior with lots of space.
Compared to many BBQ places, the menu has a variety of hickory-smoked meats. From St. Louis style BBQ Ribs, chopped pork BBQ, coarse or sliced pork BBQ, beef brisket, hand-chopped chicken, hickory smoked BBQ chicken, hickory smoked turkey breast.
And then there all the sauces that will cover any BBQ local or newcomer. From their vinegar-tomato sauce made with pepper and spices to the South Carolina unique mustard-based sauce, and the magnificent Cheerwine based sauce; there is no way that the average person wouldn’t find one that they loved. However, all of the meat was fantastic on its own.
Carolina BBQ has their house-made sauces and other goods from a quick grab cooler and lots of oinks.
If you have followed me, you know that my sister and I developed our own rating system for a local Wisconsin fish fry when we were mere teenagers. I was thrilled to have her input, along with my nephews, that hail from Tennessee and who are now also BBQ rating experts
A smorgasbord of my birthday meal from Carolina BBQ of Spartanburg
What did we think? I will give the breakdown for each thing that we tried. Overall, we loved the place and the food. Super friendly, quick, and a variety of foods would certainly make me return and recommend.
MEGastars 4 ****
Chopped BBQ Pork 3.5 ***.* MEGastars. This group loved the pork. A customer favorite that is slow cooked for 14 hours. We would say it is average to above average.
Beef Brisket 4.5 MEGastars ****.*. Although, I don’t eat brisket often, I really loved it.. My nephews and sister eat brisket often and said it was amongst the best that they have ever eaten. Made from Certified Angus Beef that is cooked low-n-slow for 16 hours.
St. Louis Style Ribs 4.5 MEGastars *****.* As above. The ribs are larger than baby back ribs, rubbed with a secret 10 spice mixture, slow cooked for at least 6 hours, finished off on the grill with their house-made sauce.
Sweet Potato Crunch 5 MEGastars ****** With one spoonful, we all agreed it was a died and gone to heaven dish. A crowd favorite that you don’t find at every BBQ place.
Cole Slaw MEGastars 3.5 ***.* When I played 100 Dishes To Eat In Alabama Before You Die, I faced this very dilemma. Is it possible for coleslaw to ever be a 5 star experience? Would I travel from afar to eat coleslaw? I have to say that I would not. That said, we thought the slaw was above average
Baked Beans MEGastars 3.5 ***.5 As above.
Potato salad MEGastars 4 **** My sister and I both loved the recipe, the salad was extra creamy with chunks of potatoes.
BBQ Sauces 4 MEGastars **** A variety of house made sauces, range from mild, hot, mustard, and the…
Cheerwine Sauce 5 MEGastar ***** rating for something unique, not easy to find and super delicious. Sweet yet tangy, this is a unique tasting sauce not to be missed.. *Note, Cheerwine is a North Carolina company that has just celebrated it’s 100th year birthday. Wit a cherry flavor sort of like a cola, it wasn’t found outside of North Carolina until the 90’s. Now said to be available in every state. I drank one once and was cracked out on caffeine for hours. *To note, this photo was taken at HUSK in Greenville.
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MEGatips.
- Website for menu, hours, location, and a link to a featured spot on German Television from 9/18/2017. Carolina BBQ
- Although we had a good variety from the menu, I have now heard that the macaroni and cheese, as well as the Brunswick stew are both above average.
- If you have a BBQ connoisseur on your gifting list, pick up a bottle of the Cheerwine. It is something unique and really tasty that wouldn’t be easy to find in other parts of the country.
- Mustard sauce is said to be unique to South Carolina’s historical German population, would also make a great gift.
- The mild sauce is tomato based vinegar-peppery flavor and is also house made and unique.
- Catering is available.
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ABOUT: This MEGabites and MEGastars description is found at the bottom of each post and may be helpful if you are new to my food escapades. Having made it to 100 Dishes on Alabama’s 100 Dishes To Eat In Alabama Before You Die, I began a new quest in South Carolina.
*100 Dishes To Eat In South Carolina While Alive or Before You Die, Whichever Comes First.” is my compilation of food to chow down on “Carolina style.” It is my S.C. Food Bucket List and you may follow as I chow down like Ms. Pacman in another gorgeous state that I call home. [1] I am loosely following Snacks of Jax 2016 46 County Best Restaurant List as a guide. From the Mom and Pop diner to the James Beard Chef, this journey is an opportunity for me to explore my new state and experience pride in food from restaurateurs who are dedicated to local food. From my bucket list, I select stops based on convenience of location and they are in no particular order (but I already have a few favorites.) [1] http://www.snacksofjax.com
I use a 5 MEGastar rating system. For the most part, I am traveling a distance to try these dishes and generally, the experience gets one shot at how I view the food. I factor this in using my own star system so that I may be fair to the wonderful dishes and people behind them. I’m very easy to please, I can overlook quite a bit and have worked in the foodservice industry.
- *Meh food. Just wasn’t good. Maybe the food came from a can? Or, the place was not one that I would want to send someone to show pride in South Carolina. This has happened to me a few times and is always a difficult write.
- ** Passable – the food was “ok” but the place was not “ok” or vice versa.
- *** Good but not outstanding or unique.
- **** Very tasty food with an above average experience.
- ***** I actually died, went to heaven and came back when I ate the dish. And/Or, something is very unique, something you cannot get anywhere else.
[1] Snacks of Jax Snacksofjax.com 2016 46 Best County Restaurant List
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