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The Hungry Voice

sarahej8
Feb 1, 2018
4 min read

This is an article I wrote for my school's newspaper, The Voice.

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Word around Perkiomen Valley High School is that we have some truly spectacular local spots to eat, including some standout gems, such as Collegeville Italian Bakery, Black Dog Cafe, and Sunshine Cafe.

Rarely do students get a chance to eat at new places, and exploring the student body’s favorite dining spots is an exciting opportunity. After taking a poll from the classes of PVHS, I was eager to explore any and all of these destinations aimed to please the average high schooler.

With an immaculate, sleek tiled pizza oven, showcase worthy displayed baked goods, and a full view of pizzas in the making, the Collegeville Italian Bakery is truly an impressive destination that aims to please the hungry customer.

This urban style restaurant offers a variety of Italian dishes that are chosen from an immense menu, ranging from a blend of sandwiches and pizza to pastas. This place delivers decadent food at a great price and portion. Not only are vegetarian options provided, but the menu extends to an intriguing selection of nutella based cuisines, truly enhancing their dessert bar. With a wide range of food comes a wide range to judge and overall, each dish was executed in an unique, but appetizing way.

Most significant though, is the wonderfully inviting service of this establishment. This restaurant is filled with genuinely kind and exuberant workers showing true hospitality. The spectacular staff was accompanied by quick and efficient service, although keep in mind we arrived during a slow time. In addition, while the servers were catering to the customers needs, there was a second display of pizzas being made in the front room. And, speaking of servers, I can’t forget to mention Nick, a humorous and skillful waiter. All things considered, the Collegeville Italian Bakery is an amazing place to eat, packed with flavor, great service, and a wide selection of items.

Our next destination is one town over at a small cafe in Skippack Village. At first glance, Black Dog Cafe seems like your average home, but this quaint destination has been remembered in our society and stomachs for years.

At this restaurant, you will find a diverse selection of cuisines influenced by China, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan. The menu was a decent size so that the customer isn’t swamped with options, but had a variety to choose from, including vegetarian meals. Not only are the dishes well balanced, but each one marries the best parts of each destination. When the food came out, we were pleasantly surprised with the elegant presentation, balancing colors, flavors, and ingredients. Unfortunately, a few things were lacking, the presentation was wonderful and food was satisfying, but no dish had an outstanding taste.

Although, the most off putting part of this restaurant is the price. This cafe is moderately expensive for a highschool student, but if you’re willing to pay the extra buck, you sure do get your money's worth in the amount of food. The dinner portions are quite large and a takeout box is necessary at the end of the meal. Unfortunately, the atmosphere isn’t suited very well to the Asian inspired theme. The restaurant plays unrelated music and is scarcely decorated. There are two bookcases displaying asian inspired trinkets in the dining room, but not much else to that degree. It's a shame because there are many opportunities for the place to fit the theme better, including adding an asian inspired dining ware, seating, lights, and overall decorations. All things considered, the cafe was satisfying, but sadly didn’t have an astounding feature. Although, with some nurturing this place is definitely heading in the right direction.

Now, let's travel across town to a small American diner in Royersford. Is it a stop and sit down restaurant, a trustworthy quick meal, or a place with roots in our local area? The Sunshine Cafe is all of the above.

When entering the diner, the open kitchen immediately captures your attention and customers can see their food being made right in front of them. We were first greeted by the welcoming staff and then seated in a tightly spaced dining area. An impressive array of jams, jellies, sugar packets, and condiments were graciously provided in a charming display at the table. They have a large menu of diner classics with a homemade twist. The cafe is best known for their comforting breakfast foods, but also serve a hearty, wholesome, and affordable array of delightful American classics.

This stop’s homey atmosphere perfectly compliments the food, welcoming service, and overall decor. The restaurant strays away from old fashioned 1950’s diner theme and takes on a unique modern look with seasonal decorations and unique trinkets. Not only is the decor charismatic, but the servers were very welcoming and catered to our every need. When we arrived, the place was run by two waitresses who doubled as cooks and were incredibly helpful every second of our stay. This charming diner was a pleasant destination with american classics perfect the hungry customer looking for a reliable good meal.

In short, the Perkiomen Valley High School is home to some truly sensational and finger lickin’ good spots for the typical high schooler’s next great meal.