Whistle Q brisket plate with all the trimmings.
Flowery Branch’s newest eatery – Whistle Q – is open for business. Featuring fresh-smoked meats by the pound or the plate, the menu includes beef brisket, pulled pork, turkey breast, pork ribs and jalapeno cheddar sausage.
Hand-crafted sides from golden mac-and-cheese, collards, baked beans, fried okra, potater salad – yes, the Southern spelling – Cole slaw and beef-tallow fries are also sold by the serving or the pound.
The newest restaurant project in Hall County developed by Nick St. Clair, Gus Godinez and Roland Stanley anchors the south end of Main Street. Head chef Craig Tabor is the mastermind behind the menu, drawing on his extensive success in national barbecue competitions over the past dozen or so years.
“It all started with my love of backyard barbecue about 16 years ago,” said Tabor, who hails from Evansville, IN, but now lives in Buford. “One day my wife Elise told me she was just tired of cooking, so I took over at home. Then I started entering competitions all over the country and now here I am.”
In his second year of competition, he snagged first place at the Stone Mountain “Egg-ToberFest I 2015 and 2016.
“More than 5,000 people were there and this put me on the map; since that time I’ve probably done more than 100 competitions across the country.”
St. Clair and his wife Alison discovered Tabor when he started selling barbecue at retail pop-ups in Hall. “Craig’s brisket had us hooked,” St. Clair said. “Let’s do a restaurant.”
The result is Whistle Q, which sits within earshot of the Flowery Branch tracks. With eat-in, patio and take-out dining, the restaurant caters as well.
The menu offers sandwiches and a “Caboose,” a baked potato served with pork or brisket that’s pretty loaded. Appetizers/starters include BBQ pork rinds, jalapeno popper fritters, golden rings/fried banana peppers and smoked wings with Alabama white sauce or hot mustard sauce.
Tabor has carefully developed his rubs, sauces and accompaniments to enhance the flavors of the food. Three distinct sauces cater to sweet, spicy and mustard aficionados. House-made pickles and pickled onions accompany the entrees.
“As for desserts, there’s only one when it comes to barbecue – banana puddin’ – and we create ours using shortbread and my own recipe,” he said.
Whistle Q opened in early November at 5509 Main St., Flowery Branch. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or “until we sell out,” according to the website. To order call 678 960-6950. The website is whistleq.com.
Photo: courtesy Whistle Q
