Poogan's Porch
ALL the apps
I tried Poogan’s Porch a couple of nights ago and I’m happy to say I had a pretty solid meal. There’s definitely a classic feel, here: this place is focused on classic Southern dishes, and the building is an old house that was converted into a restaurant. It struck an interesting contrast; the atmosphere was on the formal side, while the food was more home-style Southern cuisine.
Learn from our mistake...
Diner, be warned: the food here is SUPER filling and the portions are quite large, so I really recommend splitting an app and ordering an entrée. Anything more and you’ll feel like you need to be rolled out. We didn’t know this before going in, so of course we WAY over-ordered. We soon learned our lesson.
Here’s the skinny (and that is ONLY a figure of speech in this case)
Biscuits with Whipped Butter - These come complimentary, and wow; they are a cross between a biscuit and a scone and seriously DELICIOUS. Nice little crunch on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Divine.
She-Crab Soup – Honestly? It’s just OK. Very thick. A bit of a bite to it. Frankly, I’d like it a little thinner with more sherry.
Fried Okra – Pickled okra, battered and fried. There is a STRONG dill flavor. Definitely needs the tartare sauce to cut the bite and acidity.
Fried Green Tomatoes - These are just kind of basic. They definitely need the pimento cheese spread and bacon jam on them to really feel different, a little elevated. The jam is sweet and smoky and probably the best part.
Pimento Cheese Fritters - These were also good, but again, definitely need the jam on them to give it that extra something. The jam was definitely doing the heavy lifting with some of these dishes.
Mac and Cheese - Thick cheese rather than creamy. The good stuff that sticks to your ribs. Bacony. I enjoyed it.
Shrimp and Grits - This was very flavorful! Had some good heat behind it from the sausage, but it benefitted the whole dish. The heat contributed to the overall flavor rather than simply being spicy to be spicy. I love that.
Fried Chicken – This was also good, and the biggest dish we ordered (which is saying something). Two HUGE pieces of white meat chicken, coated in a light batter and fried. I ordered it with mac and cheese and broccolini, all of which was super good.
Just a solid, homey spot for filling food
Overall, I’d give Poogan’s Porch a 7/10.
While admittedly it probably wouldn’t be the first restaurant I choose to visit in Charleston, it’s certainly worth adding to your list, especially if you have a big group of people to accommodate. Solid food. Just don’t go crazy ordering the whole menu; you’ll never survive.
