Mama E's – a local soul food joint that has the unusual distinction of being the only restaurant in the world to be featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Restaurant Impossible and The Lost Ogle – created a social media uproar over the weekend when co-owner Stephanie Patterson responded to a customer complaint with accusations of roach planting and black on black racism.
It started when a customer posted a negative Facebook review claiming she found a roach swimming in her sweet potatoes:
Let's be honest here – just about every restaurant has roaches, and sometimes they're going to make their way into food. Just like a bird shitting on you, or realizing you're eating a roasted bug and not a pistachio, it's a fact of life that we all have to deal with from time to time. That's why I recommend always wearing a blindfold when dining out. Basically, don't make a big deal about it... unless you're trying to get a free meal.
Naturally, Mama E's co-owner Stephanie Patterson responded to the complaint by suggesting the customer planted the roach (because they don't have that type of bug in the restaurant), and stating it doesn't matter because Mama E's is only concerned about white customers.