By Dawn Heinbach
Photo courtesy of the Tomcat Facebook page
The Tomcat Café, located in Sinking Spring, is on the corner of Penn Avenue and South Hull Street. The building has a corner entrance, which is unique for its rather inconspicuous structure. The wooden deck that surrounds the front holds some tables for its outdoor café. Other tables are on the sidewalk.
The Tomcat policy is first come, first served. When the door opens, the irresistible scent of sizzling food escapes and beckons to growling stomachs.
Inside, the ambiance is cozy and familiar. Framed posters of Elvis Presley, the Blues Brothers, Leonard Cohen and B.B. King adorn the gray paneled walls. Nine tables of varying sizes, which seat parties of two to eight, cover the hardwood floor. Every seat is taken. Music is playing, but it can hardly be heard over the conversations of people waiting for their meals and enjoying them.
With names like “Gov’t Mule” (shredded beef short rib, shrimp, onion, peppers, mushrooms, jalapeno, cheddar, bleu cheese and scrambled egg burrito served with pico de gallo, cilantro sour cream and home fries) or the “Once More With Feeling” omelet (dijon turkey, broccoli, bacon, mushrooms, and Swiss cheese), the originality of both the owner and the chef is revealed.
Tomcat customers are privy to a rare treat: the combination of visionary brilliance and culinary creativity. There are fourteen sections on the menu, excluding drinks. These sections contain over 115 food items from which to choose – 173 if you count the 58 different pancake entrees. The café also features separate weekend specials.
Pictures and descriptions of Tomcat specials can be viewed on their Facebook page.
Correction: The Jan 22. issue of The Keystone identified the town as Sinking Springs, which should be Sinking Spring.