Glassboro, Pa - 16 September, 2004 -

As a commuting Rowan student, I arduously searched for a healthy fast food alternative. When Tower Shopping Center at the Five Points in Sewell sprang up several months ago, I found what I was searching for. Just a short, direct trip down Delsea Drive, Amazon Cafe offers a selection of snacks and meals that curb my hunger while on campus. Amazon Cafe's menu boasts a selection of soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches, baked goods, coffees and smoothies- all of which I gladly sampled. Although I enjoyed everything I tried, I am hooked on their smoothies. Each of their all-natural fruit smoothies contains real fruit and no artificial colors, flavors or fillers. The price of each fruit smoothie includes one fruit juice boost, such as protein- or nutrient-power boost, and each additional boost is 50 cents. For just under $4, the "Strawberry Supreme" - a frozen blend of apple juice, strawberries, bananas and nonfat frozen yogurt - took me through my morning classes. On the days where caffeine seemed necessary, I enjoyed a cup of freshly brewed 100 percent Arabica coffee and a freshly-baked chocolate chip muffin. Perhaps not as healthy as my favorite smoothie, Amazon's coffee shop alternatives proved tasty. During my late day excursions to Amazon Cafe, I dabbled in their sandwich, salad and soup delicacies. Of the three, I enjoyed their gourmet soup bar the most. Each day they offer ten soups in three differently sized containers. The menu labels each soup as vegetarian, low-fat and dairy-free. I opted for a medium low-fat, dairy-free chicken vegetable with pastina. Like most things on the menu, Amazon Cafe's sandwiches and salads come in a selection of sizes. Offered as halves or wholes, they satisfy every appetite. Among the sandwiches I enjoyed was the "Amazon Grande": a flavorful wrap of marinated chicken breast, salsa, onion, lettuce, tomato and fat-free ranch dressing. My favorite salad proved to be the traditional chicken Caesar salad, which abounded with large chunks of grilled chicken breast. Aside from healthy food, Amazon Cafe offers a bright, airy atmosphere. Decorated in shades of bright yellow and royal purple, the colors liven you up almost as much as the healthy food. Staffed mainly by college students under the eye of owner Bernie Froio, the service always seems efficient and helpful. For those who may fall in love with this fast-food alternative, it may come as comfort that the Sewell location doesn't stand alone. Amazon Cafe is a Philadelphia-based company that is springing up all across the east coast. So, whether you are in Philadelphia or in Glassboro, if you need to find something instead of pizza to subdue your hunger, Amazon Cafe offers alternatives that are surprisingly easy on your pocket and your waistline.

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