Sandoitchi's and Goldee's Pop-Up Was Worth Every Minute in Line. Bonus: They've Announced Two More Dates

What happens when you combine the concept of Japanese sandos with award-winning Texas barbeque? Well, you get a long line, a two-hour wait, and some of the best food you can only get your hands on for just that day.

Just last week we wrote about Sandoitchi and Goldee’s announcement of a collaboration to bring a Texas twist to traditional Japanese convenience store sandwiches. Japanese wagyu ribeye and trout roe smoked by Goldee’s pitmasters then laid between two silky soft pieces of white bread was a salivating thought so we gave it try.
Normally, Goldee’s in Fort Worth is only open Friday through Saturday and the place is packed. So as to not interfere with their normal business, Sandoitchi and crew decided on a Tuesday pop-up and the line was no joke. As expected given the cult following between the two shops.

Goldee’s and Sandoitchi started serving at 11 a.m. until sold out, so we decided to get in line a little early. We arrived at 10:45. When we arrived at the counter to order, it was 1 p.m. So from arrival to sitting down to eat, it took close to two hours. During that time some of Goldee’s pitmasters would come outside and offer samples of the smoked pork to guests and they also had free beer and water plus restrooms

While waiting in line, the Ham and Deviled Egg Sando and the Smoked Wagyu Tartare Sando completely sold out. It wasn’t the end of the world, and what was left on the menu was still worth the wait.

At the counter inside Goldee’s, ordering was as simple as ordering at a Subway. One crew member takes your order and then you slide on down to the cashier. Items like the Smoked Shaved Ribeye Sando were prepared on the spot but other sandos like the Orange and Cream were premade and kept relatively chilled. It made for a relatively fast and smooth process once inside Goldee’s doors.

With the Wagyu Tartare sold out, we ordered the Smoked Ribeye and the Orange and Cream Sandos, plus some sides. The sides included corn mac and cheese or Japanese sweet potato fries. So of course, we got an order of both.
The Smoked Ribeye Sando consisted of smoked washugyu beef, fermented cabbage, kewpie mayo, and lightly sauced with Goldee’s in-house barbecue sauce. At $24, it was the most expensive Sando on the menu, but each bite made the price disappear from our heads. The meat was shaved down to the consistency of lunch meat you’d get at the butcher, it was then laid onto two pieces of Japanese milk bread with two sides of the crust cut off.
The same sandwiching process was done with the Orange and Cream Sando. It was surprisingly refreshing, almost like drinking an orange cream soda. The fluffy bread and chantilly cream contrasted well with the oranges, which were fresh and shockingly juicy.
It’s not hard to mess up mac and cheese, and Sandoitchi’s rendition of the dish is pretty tasty. The corn was a good addition, but we wished the cheese was cheesier. The Japanese Sweet Potato Fries were also some of the best sweet potatoes fries we’ve had and they came with some yuzu ranch dipping sauce as well.

After the food settled and some time to think, Sandoitchi and Goldee’s menu was wonderful and deserving of the long line. Good news: they've already planned two more dates: May 2 and 3. Get your lawn chairs ready.