MEMPHIS, TN -
(WMC TV) - THIS WEEK'S DUAL BIG TIPS: Interim Restaurant, 5040 Sanderlin Ave., East Memphis, 901-818-0821, http://www.interimrestaurant.com & Napa Cafe, 5101 Sanderlin Ave., Suite 122, Sanderlin Centre, East Memphis, 901-683-0441, http://www.napacafe.com/
They're within a block of each other, flanked among the Racquet Club of Memphis and the shops of Sanderlin Centre and Mendenhall Commons.
In a four-day period, Interim Restaurant and Napa Cafe enjoyed health inspections that earned them both the High Score of the Week: a 97.
"I've never seen a speck of muss in this place," said Keith Hollins, sipping wine at the state-of-the-art bar inside Interim.
The kitchen's something out of Architectural Digest: all functional, shiny black-and-silver -- wide open and fused to the dining room.
All eyes are on the cooking staff.
That keeps Executive Chef Jackson Kramer and his assistants always just a tad bit out of their comfort zones -- and their health scores soar.
"I probably clean as much as I cook," said Kramer. "Definitely, it keeps us on our toes."
"I've never, ever seen anything out of place," said customer Susan Harney of East Memphis. "The kitchen always looks sparkling clean."
The kitchen's always kicking out incredible dishes, especially seafood.
WHAT ANDY LIKES AT INTERIM: Mountain Trout, Mahi Special, Sea Bass, Trendy Bar w/Great Wine and Beer Selection, Impressive Interior Design
Napa Cafe is all about energy -- a kinetic kitchen (also spotless), hustling staff and customers stuffing every seat for its evolving menu of soups, sandwiches and entrees at lunch and multiple courses at dinner.
"They do everything with excellence," said Cordova's Jill Dyson, who regularly reserves Napa Cafe's private wine room for special occasions. "My husband and I will celebrate anniversaries, birthday parties...(the staff's) energy fills the space!"
Celebrating 15 years in East Memphis, Napa Cafe has a knack for catering to both the creature of habit who craves a favorite dish and the curmudgeon who doesn't want to read the same menu twice.
Its crack staff snaps and smiles to the challenge.
"That comes across in the kind of service that we get," said loyal patron Amy Howard of East Memphis, "and it would just make sense that the kitchen would be maintained that way."
You could perform surgery in Chef Rick Saviori's kitchen. He manages to maintain the highest hygiene standards despite his crew's culinary hustle.
"When you have that, you can produce the best possible food, the best possible customer service, so it's really simple for us," said owner Glenda Hastings.
WHAT ANDY LIKES AT NAPA CAFE: Gourmand's Meatloaf, Yellow Fin Tuna w/Sauteed Sweet Corn, Shrimp & Grits, Short Rib Sliders, Mind-boggling Wine Selection
THE WEEK'S SCORES:
Subway, 764 Mt. Moriah Rd., White Station Area/E. Memphis, 97, date not listed
Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches, 5181 Poplar Ave., White Station Area/E. Memphis, 97 on March 19
Front St. Deli, 3301 Winchester Rd., Airport Area, 96 on March 22
Papa John's Pizza, 830 N. Germantown Pkwy, Cordova, TN, 96 on March 19
Subway, 4465 Poplar Ave., Oak Court Mall/E. Memphis, 96 on March 21
Dot's Deli, 5050 Poplar Ave., White Station Area/E. Memphis, 95 on March 19
B. J. Buffalo Style Wings & Things, 7825 Winchester Rd., Southwind Area/SE Memphis, 95 on March 15
Honey Baked Ham, 6825 Winchester Rd., Hickory Hill/SE Memphis, 95 on March 19
Burger King, 4663 Navy Rd., Millington, TN, 95 on March 22
Charley's Grill Subs, 4465 Poplar Ave., Oak Court Mall/E. Memphis, 95 on March 21
Checkers, 3091 S. Perkins Rd., Parkway Village/SE Memphis, 95 on March 19
Buckley's Restaurant, 5355 Poplar Ave., White Station Area/E. Memphis, 95 on March 23
Baskin Robbins, 4758 Navy Rd., Millington, TN, 93 on March 22
Los Comales Taqueria, 2860 S. Perkins Rd., Parkway Village/SE Memphis, 93 on March 19
China Master, 4465 Poplar Ave., Oak Court Mall/E. Memphis, 93 on March 21
Lefty's Sports Pub, 4497 Summer Ave., Berclair/E. Memphis, 92 on March 22
Foozi, 5100 Poplar Ave., White Station Area/E. Memphis, 92 on March 19
Lisa's Lunch Box, 5885 Ridgeway Ctr. Parkway, East Memphis, 92 on March 23
Subway, 709 E. Parkway S., Cooper-Young/Midtown Memphis, 92 on March 19
Captain D's, 8342 Highway 51 N., Millington, TN, 91 on March 20
Chao Praya Restaurant, 3588 Ridgeway Rd., Hickory Hill/SE Memphis, 91 on March 20
McDonald's, 3377 Winchester Rd., Airport Area, 91 on March 22
KFC, 1295 N. Germantown Pkwy, Cordova, TN, 91 on March 23
Dairy Queen, 2760 N. Germantown Parkway, Wolfchase Galleria, 91 on March 23
Benihana of Tokyo, 912 Ridge Lake Blvd., East Memphis, 91 on March 23
Schlotzsky's Deli, 4758 Poplar Ave., White Station Area/E. Memphis, 90 on March 18
Papa Murphy's Take-N-Bake Pizza, 7781 Farmington Blvd., Germantown, TN, 90 on March 21
Firehouse Subs, 7505 Highway 64, Border of Bartlett/E. Memphis, 90 on March 22
Sonic Drive-In, 1500 Getwell Rd., U of M Park Ave. Campus Area, 90 on March 23
Romano's Macaroni Grill, 6705 Poplar Ave., The Carrefour at Kirby Woods, East Memphis, 90 on March 22
Cayenne's Bar & Grill, 2411 Winchester Rd., Airport Area, 89 on March 22
Chili's, 7810 Poplar Ave., Germantown, TN, 89 on March 20
Orange Mound Grill, 1238 Airways Blvd., Orange Mound/S. Memphis, 89 on March 19
Backyard Burgers, 7073 Winchester Rd., Hickory Hill/SE Memphis, 89 on March 20
Wendy's, 815 N. Germantown Pkwy, Cordova, TN, 88 on March 21
Captain D's, 7112 Highway 64, Border of Bartlett/E. Memphis, 87 on March 19
Memphis Pizza Café, 7604 Farmington Blvd., Germantown, TN, 87 on March 21
Subway, 2938 Covington Pike, East Memphis, 87 on March 21
Piccadilly Cafeteria, 5272 Mt. Moriah Rd., Fox Meadows/SE Memphis, 86 on March 15
Amerigo, 1239 Ridgeway Rd., East Memphis, 86 on March 21
Cici's Pizza, 1425 N. Germantown Pkwy, Cordova, TN, 85 on March 23
A&R BBQ, 7174 Highway 64, Bartlett, TN, 84 on March 19
Zaxby's, 1420 N. Germantown Pkwy, Cordova, TN, 84 on March 23
Taqueria Guadalupana, 5848 Winchester Rd., Hickory Hill/SE Memphis, 82 on March 19
Casa Mexicana, 8057 Highway 64, Wolfcreek Shopping Center/near Wolfchase Galleria, 82 on March 21
Pizza Hut, 825 N. Germantown Pkwy, Cordova, TN, 81 on March 19
Mortimer's Restaurant, 590 N. Perkins Rd., Berclair/E. Memphis, 81 on March 22
Broadway Pizza, 2581 Broad Ave., Binghampton/E. Memphis, 79 on March 20
Shang Hai Restaurant, 1400 Poplar Ave., Midtown Memphis, 79 on March 19
New China Restaurant, 4628 Winchester Rd., Parkway Village/SE Memphis, 72 on March 19
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