By Pete Lamb

As Cabbage and I sped toward Pooler for dinner at Sam Snead’s Tavern we both agreed we didn’t have very high expectations.
After all, themed chain restaurants are more fodder for comedians than serious gastronomic experiences.
Sam Snead’s, forgive the pun, scored birdie after birdie.
Our nearly two-foot-long Spicy Shrimp Flatbread ($12) offered a variety of flavors – sweet shrimp, pineapple, roasted Poblano peppers and Feta cheese – atop a very thin and crispy crust. We thought the drizzle of sweet barbecue sauce was too much – but that didn’t stop us from finishing the appetizer while we scanned the menu.
The restaurant feature high walls of dark, raised panel woodwork and barely a square inch that’s not covered with golf memorabilia commemorating the career of the late PGA star Sam Snead.
Its proximity to airport hotels insures a fair number of business travelers – but we also saw several couples and other local diners who have apparently been keeping the chow at Sam Snead’s a secret.
Cabbage opted for the Tavern Fried Chicken ($17). This half chicken is fried in duck fat – which produces a crisp skin and hot, moist interior. We questioned the process, and were assured by our server that, indeed, a deep fryer filled with duck fat is kept standing by just for this dish. In fact, he told us, one of the restaurant’s credos is that each item is prepared fresh and in-house. That includes, he said, everything from the sauce drizzled on our flatbread to the blue cheese dressing on my salad.
The chicken was perfectly prepared, but could have used a little more seasoning. A side dish of red-skinned mashed potatoes with basil was creamy and flavorful.
The same potatoes accompanied my entr