Restaurant Review: Peppers Cafe

Restaurant: Peppers Cafe & Catering Inc.
Address: 2528 Haverford Road, Ardmore
Rating: ★★★ out of 5 stars
Style: Counter Seating / Take Out
Food: Fresh, Homemade & Generously Portioned
Atmosphere: The Cutest Hole in the Wall Ever 
Parking: Yes. Lot parking.
Service: Polite, Friendly & Welcoming
Price Range: Low
Unique Feature: Great for takeout, and a quaint little counter overlooking the kitchen gives the chance to see your food being made right in front of you. Cash Only.

Although many people are struggling to make ends meet, the corporate model of bigger equals better still seems to reign supreme. Gone are the days when cash was king, as plastic is now the “faster way to pay.” At this moment in time, in our society it’s refreshing to find a place that seems remiss to enter into the materialism and bloated expectations of its competition.

On a recent visit to , I found just that. Its façade is like looking into another dimension—a portal to a simpler time where credit card machines were something out of science fiction.

Inside, I was greeted, pointed towards a menu and left to decide. I perused the specials board and looked over the regular menu. There were homemade soups, which are strictly gazpachos during the summer, sandwiches, salads and pasta.

I decided on two of the specials; a Black Angus burger for $7.25, and the penne pasta $9.75. I also opted for the bowtie Caesar salad, from the everyday menu for $7.75.

I waited for my order, taking in the exceedingly tight space. Had I not had experiences working in such tight quarters, I’d wonder how they did it, but in places like this, there’s a place for everything, and everything is in its place. I asked about a restroom, while I was waiting and was directed out the rear screen door. The mirrorless restroom reminded me more of an outhouse, but a facility it was.

I spoke with the cook, asking about Peppers’ history. For the past 12 years, it was a café. Before that, a takeout ice cream parlor and a gas station. All of a sudden, the restroom made sense. I paid for my order and headed on my way.

When I opened up the first of my Styrofoam packed choices, I found the most impressive burger I’ve seen in quite some time. It was grilled medium, as requested, topped with a slice of bright orange cheddar cheese, fresh lettuce, a half-dozen Roma tomato slices, and a liberal slather of the horseradish mayo served on a fresh Kaiser roll. There were also a handful of ruffled potato chips and a freshly roasted pepper on the side. This burger was massive. With every bite I took, I had to wipe burger drippings, pepper juices and zesty mayo my face. I enjoyed every sloppy moment.

Next was the Caesar salad. The container was nearly overflowing with perfectly cooked and dressed bowtie pasta and romaine lettuce, decorated with slices of red onion. One bite in and I was in awe; why hadn’t I thought of this? It was so simple, yet such a nice variation on Caesar salad, which can become very menu mundane.

Finally, I opened my penne pasta with sausage and spinach in a pink sauce. I’m pretty picky with my pastas, but for what it was, it was really good. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sausage had a nice flavor, the spinach was fresh, and other than the color of the pink sauce, which was reminiscent of a can of Chef Boyardee I had once eaten, it was good. The fresh roll that accompanied it was also a very nice touch.

For the price and quality, there’s really no excuse not to give Peppers Cafe a go. Their portion sizes are large enough to feed two, so leftovers are definitely a possibility and for something that feels homemade, without actually having to turn on the stove after work, Peppers is a great bet.

Click here for the  and for the website and menu.