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Article by Andrew Perez <anperez@ursinus.edu>
Attention students at Ursinus College! Looking to branch out to local eats? Take my food review of the Trappe into consideration.
The Trappe Tavern, established in 1989, is about a mile up Main Street and filled with UC spirit, making it a fun time being surrounded by support and love for current Ursinus students. They have pictures of former Ursinus athletes on their walls, Ursinus displays like flags, and other pretty neat knicknacks. The outside of the restaurant has you looking forward to your experience in the Trappe. In addition to the Ursinus decorations, the Trappe has the looks of a house, neon signs of beer ads, string lights, and TVs with sports on all over the inside. With the outside looking good, it’s time to see what the food is all about.
My visit began with the “Nachos Supreme,” a mound of tortilla chips piled high and topped with crisp lettuce, diced tomatoes, onion, salsa, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese sauce. I took the menu’s option to add chili to my advantage. The nachos did not fail to meet their description on the menu, appearing as a giant mountain on a massive plate. The chips were fresh and salted well. The cheesy goodness was unmatched and complimented the other toppings beautifully. The chili was nice, hot, and flavorful from being well-seasoned. The kick from the jalapeño was on point. I loved munching on what felt like a bottomless pit of nachos before I got to the main event, the “Tavern Meatball.”
On the menu, the “Tavern Meatball” is described as “Hearty Meatballs in a zesty marinara sauce smothered with mozzarella cheese, sautéed onion, mushroom and sweet peppers served with chips and a pickle.” Based on my experience with the nachos and meatball sandwich, it’s clear that the Trappe Tavern does not lie when it comes to big portions because this enormous sandwich was mind blowing! The toasty fresh bread, a healthy amount of melted mozzarella, a nice touch from the mushroom, a sweet tasting marinara sauce, and of course, the giant, soft, delicious meatball had me in awe. The sandwich held together pretty well and I was able to get everything in one bite. The only downside for me was the sweet peppers. It did not match the rest of the flavors and threw things off. I just took them out and kept on going to town on this sandwich, which was a gift from God!
I substituted chips for french fries on the side. They were nothing special, pretty standard in my opinion. They weren’t salted and lacked some crispness. Also, I thought they came in a small portion.
On the whole, I had a great first experience at the Trappe Tavern. It’s very affordable for college kids to get around once in a while! From grubbing on great food, watching sports games on the TVs, taking in the positive atmosphere, and giving love to a local business, how could you go wrong? For current Ursinus students, it’s always good to expand your horizons around campus and enjoy yourself with your friends, teammates, and family!