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If Roger Devall really gets into the joke or story he is recounting, he waves his arms like a Southern circuit minister, beads of sweat breaking out across his shaved head. After all, the man can't sit still. Pacing about between cooking and customers, he works from sunup until way into the evening at his new restaurant, Potato Workz (3750-A Battleground Ave., Greensboro; 617-5358; http://www.cafepotatoworkz.com).

Potato Workz' specialty is two-and-half pound stuffed potatoes. The menu lists 15 kinds — each one a meal — including the Original Potato ($2.99) with butter, sour cream and chives and The Supreme ($6.99), loaded with pepperoni, sausage, beef, mushrooms, onions and green peppers.

"I wanted to do something nobody else had," says Devall who was inspired by Hot Potat , a stuffed-potato vendor on the campus of Louisiana State University in his hometown of Baton Rouge, La. "The Philly Steak ($6.25) is a big seller. The Greek Potato ($5.99) with fresh spinach is popular, too."

But don't let the potatoes fool you. Devall's forte is his native Creole and Cajun cooking. He knows the secret to a down-home roux: time. The chocolate-colored soul of Shrimp Creole, gumbo and other Southern Louisiana specialties requires a seasoned cast-iron skillet and the time it takes to listen to both sides of an album by Big Al Carson and The Blues Masters while stirring the molten mixture of fat and flour.

With a divorce behind him and job prospects in front of him, Devall, with two daughters in tow, wound up in Greensboro. That was 19 years ago. Since then, he has created a successful masonry cleaning company, Devall Clean and Bright, and moved his family from Greensboro to Rockingham County just outside of Stokesdale. Along the way, he lugged his grandmother's 100-year-old cast-iron Dutch oven, a reminder of his native cuisine. Despite his stature (just taller than 6 feet) and his blue-collar profession, Devall, 48, knows his way around the kitchen.

"He cooks three times a week at home," says Felicia Devall-Harris , Devall's 28-year-old daughter, who manages Potato Workz for her dad. "I was planning on going out the other night and walked into the kitchen. Daddy was pulling some chicken breasts from the oven. They were covered in sauce. I decided to just stay home."

Devall always wanted to open a restaurant. He found a suitable space sharing a building with a Quicksnack Exxon station at the corner of Battleground and Cotswold avenues. With the help of daughter Felicia, a 10-year veteran with restaurant supplier Southern Foods, they created a menu that also includes a selection of Po Boy sandwiches stuffed with the likes of Philly Steak and cheese ($5.99 for 6-inch, $7.25 for 12-inch), grilled chicken ($6.49, $7.75), shrimp and fried oysters ($6.99, $8.25).

"Our bread is from Gambino's in New Orleans," Devall says holding up a lighter-than-air French baguette. "If we can't get that bread, we're not opening."

In addition to other short-order items such as sandwiches, burgers and all-beef hot dogs, Potato Workz offers wings, salads and starters that include fried calamari rings with marinara sauce, a shrimp basket and chicken tenders that Devall says he cuts and breads himself. Nothing frozen here. He also serves baskets of catfish, shrimp and oysters straight from Wilmington ($5.99-$6.25).

And then there are the daily specials. Items such as fried catfish smothered in Shrimp Creole, Shrimp Etouffee, homemade potato soup, gumbos and jambalaya, which he cooks every other day in that old Dutch oven.

"A lady came in the other day," Devall says, chuckling. "She'd never heard of jambalaya. She asked if it was good. I said 'Honey, hold onto to your socks.' "

Each Saturday, Devall cooks a pot of something special, such as chicken jambalaya or fried catfish.

Devall plans to add a patio, possibly some live music and a steam pot of seafood and vegetables similar to a low-country boil. And the man who once shipped in 200 pounds of crawfish for his daughter's graduation party plans to hold crawfish boils this summer.

"Everybody always says he's missing his calling," says Felicia Devall-Harris who decorated the small space in a Mardi Gras theme and will take over the restaurant if her father's dream of opening another location comes to pass. "This is where I see him."

Potato Workz hours are 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day but Sunday.

Some Easter brunches

Some additional Easter brunches, all on Sunday , to mention include a brunch from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Yancey House Restaurant (699 U.S. 158 West, Yanceyville) with a menu of beignets, catfish and eggs, steak and eggs, omelettes, biscuits and hash browns.

An Easter dinner of salmon with fresh asparagus, steak and lamb will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Call 694-4225 for reservations.

Revival Grill (604 Milner Drive, Greensboro) will offer a regionally inspired menu of entrees with family-style sides and desserts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 297-0950 for reservations.

Bravo! Cucina Italiana (3324 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro; http://www.bravoitalian.com) is treating guests to an Easter brunch of Bistecca Benedict, Crab Cakes and Eggs Hollandaise, Ricotta-Stuffed

French Toast, Omelet Florentine and other treats on Sunday. Call 834-0084 for information.

Fleming's Steakhouse (3342 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro) is also, for the first time, offering Easter brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu includes a choice of starter; choice of an entree, such as Filet Mignon Benedict, Roasted Turkey Crepes or Blue Crab Quiche; and a dessert.

Call 294-7790 or visit http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com for information.

Seasonal menu ends soon

Speaking of Fleming's Steakhouse, there's still time to take advantage of the restaurant's Prix Fixe Menu featuring winter seasonal selections.

The menu, featuring the likes of Chicken Saltimbocca, Filet Oscar, Almond Crusted Shrimp and Cinnamon Apple Haystack, is available through Monday .

Wine dinner

Bistro Sofia (616 Dolley Madison Road, Greensboro) is holding a wine dinner of the Food and Wine of Southern Italy Thursday.

Cost for the five-course dinner is $65. Call 855-1313.

Bakery adds menu items

Ilma Vanucci , who owns LeBlon Brazilian Steakhouse with her husband, Walter, says her new restaurant, Panizzo Bakery (103 Muirs Chapel Road, Greensboro; 834-3331) has added some new items to the menu, including Smoked Salmon and Cobb salads.

New dinner entrees are now available at 4 p.m. and include Penne Pasta With Rotisserie Chicken, Tilapia Piccata, Chicken Dinner and Paella.

Many folks are unaware of this bakery at West Market Street and Muirs Chapel Road. But in addition to custom cakes and muffins too big to wrap your hands around, Panizzo is offering Easter treats such as cookies, cupcakes and chocolate eggs.

Visit http://www.panizzo.com for an online menu that also includes trays and box lunches.

Have restaurant news for Short Orders? Contact Carl Wilson at 373-7145 or carl.wilson@news-record.com