Jason Dicken and his wife, Leah, own four local Spudz-N-Stuff restaurants, where they sell freshly-made salads, big Philly-style subs, pita sandwiches, and if you look hard enough under the piles of cheese, vegetables, meat, sour cream, various crunchy bits, and baked potatoes.
"I had the concept a couple years, before I actually had a place," said Jason Dicken. "I started with a chocolate shop in Washington Square Mall; then, we moved to doing baked potatoes, and then, I opened the first Spudz-N-Stuff on Pearl Drive about four and a half years ago."
Now, Spudz-N-Stuff has locations on the east side, downtown, and in Henderson, as well, and Dicken plans to open two more locations in the next year.
I stopped by the East Side Spudz-N-Stuff on Green River Road for lunch and was pleasantly surprised at the many menu offerings - almost 40 potato choices and another 20 salad and sandwich offerings, along with a kids section and brownies.
On my table, an upright sign held a picture of The Bronco potato and vowed that "Underneath the Jalapeno, Beef, Pork, BBO, Cheese, and Fried Onions, There's a Baked Potato!" Another reminded me that Spudz-N-Stuff would be happy to cater my tater.
I chose the Philly Cheese Steak Potato. The cook sizzled thin-sliced beef on a panini press and split a steaming baked potato. He squeezed on copious melted buttery stuff and added Cheez Whiz, hot steak, sauteed onions, green peppers and grilled mushrooms – and topped it with a sprinkle of grated cheddar.
It was great, so big I couldn't finish it, and the potato hiding under there was tasty all by itself, fluffy and creamy with a nice brown skin.
I'd have to describe a Spudz-N-Stuff potato as a two-pound, open-faced hot sandwich that uses a baked potato instead of a bun. Steak, ground beef, taco beef, pulled pork, chicken, ham and vegetarian selections are offered. It's a treat for those of us who avoid wheat, which is difficult when eating out.
Is it healthy? Meh. It is noted that the American Heart Association has declared Idaho potatoes a heart-healthy food, and with lots of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and a good bit of protein for a vegetable, they can be. Douse a potato worth four servings of starch on its own with buttery stuff, taco meat, cheese sauce and sour cream, however, and it's sort of like claiming Hardee's Monster Thickburger is healthy if you ask for a whole-grain bun.
But hey, if you're watching your calories, choose one of the salads or the chicken fajita pita; they're good too.
A nod to worldly cuisine throughout the menu keeps it interesting. For example, the Ponzu Philly Steak Sandwich is splashed with Japanese citrus-flavored soy sauce and topped with a scattering of cilantro, and the Apollo Philly is garnished, Greek-style, with feta cheese and tzatziki sauce.
Spudz-N-Stuff Locations:
Hours vary by location
West Side
5225 Pearl Drive (Across from Wal-Mart) - (812) 402-8287
East Side
815 S. Green River Road (Across from Baskin Robins) - (812) 402-7783
Downtown
101 N.W. 1st Street (In the Old Post Office Plaza) - (812) 402-7555
Henderson, KY
192 Gardenmile Road (Near Kmart) - (270) 212-1777
