Former Spudz-N-Stuff owner David Tucker is back in the baked potato business

EVANSVILLE − If you’re feeling like a big old loaded tater, David Tucker of Tater Temptations is the man to go to.

Tucker owned two Spudz-N-Stuff restaurants between 2014 and 2018 – one in Huntingburg and one on Evansville’s East Side. He also ran a Spudz-N-Stuff food truck out of the Huntingburg location. After 2018, he opened Tucker’s Comfort Food on Green River Road and the menu included, you guessed it, stuffed baked potatoes.

He took a break to work for Toyota for several years, but a recent temporary work slowdown at the plant meant he had time to think about stuffed potatoes again, and he jumped right back into it, cooking out of Kitchen 812 three days a week.

“I like the hustle and grind of the business and eventually want to get another food trailer,” he said. “I’ll go back to Toyota full-time while I continue to build the business here.”

He’s being helped in the kitchen by his wife Tamara Tucker and daughter Madison Cravens.

Right now, Tucker is serving a small but mighty menu of stuffed taters three days a week, for curbside pickup only from Kitchen 812 on Weinbach Avenue. Look for him to be open from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but additional days and hours might be added, so watch the Facebook page. Orders must be placed ahead by calling or texting. Online ordering will be added in the future.

On the menu at Tater Temptations

It’s stuffed potatoes all day on the Tater Temptatation menu, and potato bar catering is available. Everyday items are:

• Classic Loaded Tater, $11 – Cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onion
• BBQ Chicken Tater, $11 – Grilled chicken, barbeque sauce, cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onion
• BBQ Pulled Pork Tater, $11 – Pulled pork, barbeque sauce, cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onion
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Tater, $12 – Grilled chicken, bacon, ranch, and cheddar cheese
• Buffalo Chicken Tater, $12 – Grilled chicken, Buffalo sauce, ranch, cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onion

Those are the classics that are available every time the restaurant is open, but Tucker has tons of special ideas he’ll be producing to see how they go over. A creamy Cajun smoked sausage stuffed tater is a favorite special, and he’ll be offering taco spuds, a meaty carnivore potato, and others.

When the food trailer materializes, fries and tots will be added to the menu for loading.

Tater Temptations

• Location: Curbside pick-up only from Kitchen 812 at 122 N. Weinbach Ave.
• Phone: 812-573-9922; call or text ahead for orders