Andy's Rest. Scorecard: Good SPUDS in Fox Meadows!

By Andy Wise - bio | email

FOX MEADOWS, EAST MEMPHIS (WMC TV) - THIS WEEK'S BIG TIP:  East Memphis Pizza & Subs, 3736 S. Mendenhall, Memphis, 38115, 901-794-9600, check 'em on Facebook.

The name of Aaron Kearney's place has its priorities all wrong.

Pizza and subs are secondary here.

What comes first is Kearney's smothered baked potatoes!

Smothered in grilled chicken. Fried chicken. Buffalo chicken. Bacon. Ham. Sour cream. Chives. Cheese.

You name it, it sits on a spud at East Memphis Pizza & Subs.

"I like their salads," said Midtown customer Steven Price, who orders the Buffalo Chicken Salad with boneless chicken chunks doused in buffalo wing sauce.

Yes, the salads, hot wings, subs and pizza are good, but only one thing takes precedence over those potatoes:  a clean establishment.

"Treat it like your home. Treat it like your house," said Kearney, who opened the store seven years ago after an 18-year stint with Cracker Barrel.

"I always told him to clean up because you never know when company's going to come," said Kearney's mother Dollie Patterson as she delivered her sixth lunch order in an hour.

East Memphis Pizza & Subs tied with four other establishments this week for the highest Memphis-Shelby County health inspection score: a 97.

WHAT ANDY LIKES:  Smothered Baked Potatoes w/Great Variety of Toppings; Turkey, Ham & Bacon Sub; Buffalo Chicken Salad; Daily Lunch Specials

MORE HIGH SCORES OF THE WEEK:

Original Honey Baked Ham of Georgia, 1727 N. Germantown Pkwy, Cordova, TN, 97 on March 7.

Rockabilly's Diner, 3755 Elvis Presley Blvd., Whitehaven, 97 on March 10.

Taco Bell, 826 S. Third, South Memphis, 97 on March 7.

Curbside Casseroles, 5130 Wheelis, White Station/East Memphis, 97 on March 10.

LOW SCORE OF THE WEEK:

Tropical Smoothie Cafe, 1625 N. Germantown Pkwy, Cordova, TN, 74 on March 8 with a food permit suspension notice:

Inspector wrote DIRTY 8 TIMES to describe store conditions.

"chemical stored with sandwich bags"

"moldy shield in ice machine"

"employee's not washing hands before applying gloves & preparing food."

District manager Keith Staggs relayed Action News 5 to Tropical Smoothie Cafe's public relations representative Jenni Geib. Geib e-mailed this statement:

"Tropical Smoothie Cafe is cooperating fully with Memphis-Shelby County Health Department regarding the recent code review. Tropical Smoothie Cafe takes health standards very seriously and has taken the necessary steps to ensure the location is providing the highest quality experience for its customers. The local franchise is confident in its adjustments and has already requested immediate re-evaluation."

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